Photo File: Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has signed into law the ₦695 billion supplementary budget for the 2025 fiscal year, recently passed by the State House of Assembly. The signing ceremony took place at the October edition of the State’s Project Delivery Meeting held at Government House, Uyo.

The supplementary appropriation bill, passed by the House on Tuesday, followed the adoption of the report presented by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation. The plenary session was presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong.

Presenting the Committee’s report, Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee, Hon. Itorobong Etim, explained that the supplementary budget would be funded through various sources including statutory allocations, internally generated revenue (IGR), derivation funds, 13% derivation arrears, signature bonuses, exchange gains, and value-added tax (VAT), among others.

According to the report, the supplementary budget comprises ₦125.66 billion for recurrent expenditure and ₦569.33 billion for capital expenditure. This brings the revised total budget size for 2025 to ₦1.65 trillion, made up of ₦425.66 billion for recurrent services and ₦1.22 trillion for capital expenditure. The original 2025 budget of ₦955 billion was passed by the Assembly in December 2024.

In his remarks after signing the bill into law, Governor Eno commended the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the bill, describing it as a demonstration of the legislature’s commitment to the growth and development of Akwa Ibom State.

“Let me assure the people of Akwa Ibom State that all hands are on deck and we will continue to carry out our duties with probity and dedication for the benefit of all. With the passage and signing of the supplementary budget today, we are further fired up to ensure the full implementation of government programmes and projects as contained in the budget,” the Governor stated.

To fast-track the implementation of projects outlined in the budget, Governor Eno also announced the immediate release of ₦60 billion to contractors with valid Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs). He charged heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as Delivery Advisors, to ensure strict compliance with timelines and quality standards for all ongoing projects.

The Project Delivery Meeting also featured 12 major presentations on the status of key projects across various sectors. These included: Tree Crop Revolution, State Electricity Market, Tourism Destination Marketing, Arise Senior Citizens Centre, Arise Resort, Ibom Tourism Summit, Renovation of Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort, Christmas Unplugged, Oron Maritime and Jetty Project, CNG City Bus Project, AKBC House, Ikot Ekpene International Market, Renovation of the House of Assembly Complex and Speaker’s Lodge, Court of Appeal Complex, 10-Airport Projects, Itam Industrial Park, Equipment Leasing Company, Ibom Model Farm, RAMP Project, Ibom International Hospital, General Hospitals in Ukanafun and Ibiono Ibom LGAs, Mother and Child Hospital, and the Aviation Village.

In his response, the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, praised Governor Eno’s leadership and commitment to transparency in governance.

“We have never witnessed this kind of delivery review in our state. It gives us a clear understanding of what is happening across sectors. For me, this is a strong oversight function,” the Speaker said.

He also expressed gratitude to the Governor for the ongoing renovation of the Assembly Complex and pledged the continued support and collaboration of the legislature with the Executive arm of government.

With the revised 2025 budget now in effect, stakeholders and citizens alike are hopeful that the additional funding and proactive leadership will translate into tangible benefits and accelerated development across the state.