Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has signed into law the state’s 2025 Appropriation Bill increased by the State Assembly to N807b from N756b, pledging full and faithful implementation of the budget.

Signing the bill into law at the Government House Owerri, Monday, Gov. Uzodimma statef that what the lawmakers did by increasing the original figures he presented showed an alignment between the executive and the legislature in providing essential services to the people.

The governor expressed satisfaction over the expeditious passage of the bill and the tinkering, stressing that what had been done by the Assembly shows that the lawmakers have challenged the executive to commence work without delay on the 2025 budget.

The appropriation signed into law still maintains the Governor’s consistency in allocating huge chunk of the budget to capital expenditure in 2025 to the tone of Six Hundred and Ninety-Four Billion, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Six Million, Forty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Naira (N694,786,041,220) or 86.09 per cent of the total sum.

For the recurrent expenditure,  N112,302,000,000 of 13.91 percent was approved.

In the now signed budget, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development gets  N297,509,312,778  or 42.8%, the Ministry of Transport, N101,010,000,000  or 14.5% and the Ministry of Power and Electrification,  N74,755,479,042  or 10.8%.

In the same vein, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was allocated N50,020,000,000  or 7.2% of the budget, the Ministry of Education, N49,460,000,000 or 7.1%  while the Ministry of Health gets N31,933,234,000  or 4.65%.

Governor Uzodimma’s short remarks after signing the appropriation bill reads: “I have just signed into law the 2025 Imo State Appropriation Bill, which now has the force of law and serves as the financial operational manual for the state.

“While I initially proposed a budget of Seven Hundred and Fifty-Six Billion Naira for the year, the State House of Assembly, in its wisdom, adjusted it to N807 billion. It shows the alignment between the Executive and the Legislature in providing essential infrastructure and services to the people of the State.

“The total 2025 budget, as amended by the Assembly and signed into law, is N807,088,041,220.

“Capital allocation:  N694,786,041,220 (86.09%)

“Recurrent allocation: N112,302,000,000 (13.91%)

“I commend the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly for the expeditious passage of the Appropriation Bill and for increasing the initial budget estimate. This patriotic gesture challenges the executive to commence work immediately.

“As outlined in my recent budget speech, this Budget of Expanded Economic Opportunities is designed to drive the economic transformation of our state through improved infrastructure and industrialization. Beyond focusing on making our economy one of the fastest-growing in the region, we aim to position the state as a prime destination for genuine investors.

“The following allocations to core ministries underscore my resolve to strengthen economic growth in 2025:

1) Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development: N297,509,312,778 (42.8%)

2) Ministry of Transport: N101,010,000,000 (14.5%)

3) Ministry of Power and Electrification: N74,755,479,042 (10.8%)

4) Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security: N50,020,000,000 (7.2%)

5) Ministry of Education: N49,460,000,000 (7.1%)

6) Ministry of Health: N31,933,234,000 (4.65%)

“My dear people of Imo State, I pledge to fully and faithfully implement this budget to achieve its goals. We will create expanded economic opportunities through investment and job creation. Ndi Imo shall be the beneficiaries.

“I urge everyone and all stakeholders to support this administration in our endeavor to set Imo State on a path of sustainable development”.