The Ebonyi Government says it has budgeted N150 million for health workers’ COVID-19 allowances in the revised state’s 2020 budget, recently signed into law by Gov. David Umahi.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state’s initial 2020 budget of N178 billion was reviewed downward to N132 billion and the governor tagged the revised budget as ‘’realities of the times”
Mr Orlando Nweze, state Commissioner for Finance disclosed the budgeted amount for health workers’ allowances during the revised budget’s breakdown on Friday.
The commissioner said that it was aimed to motivate them in the fight against the pandemic.
Nweze stated that the allowances included feeding and treatment of COVID-19 patients, welfare of workers at the various isolation centres, management of other health challenges among others.
“This is a COVID-19 related response as the health workers’ allowances and the budget for the state university’s college of medicine are classified as crisis management.
“The fight against COVID-19 has actually made us increase the health workers’ allowances and some of them that were not classified before have been classified presently,” he said.
The commissioner described the revised budget as stringent, citizens- based and highly Information Communication Technology (ICT) compliant.
“The expenditure for the personnel cost had a reduction of 14.2 per cent with the initial budget of N18 billion presently reduced to N15.7 billion.
“The overhead cost was increased at some levels from an initial budget of N22.9 billion to N28.2 billion, representing a difference of N23.4 per cent.
“The recurrent expenditure had a significant reduction from N5 billion to N1 billion, representing an 80 per cent reduction while the capital expenditure has a 33 per cent reduction from N127 billion to N85.1 billion,” he said.
He noted that the government considered several factors while reviewing the budget as they were all centered on response to COVID-19 challenges and recovery plans designed for the state’s economy.
“The pandemic touches largely on the health as we anticipated lots of activities in the area which made us increase the health workers’ allowances, equipping the general hospitals, the state university’s college of medicine among others.
“This made us increase the health sector’s budget to N3.5 billion, with a difference of 15.7 per cent; Works and Transport – N11.3 billion with a difference of 10.2 per cent; Human Capital Development- N151 million with a difference of 2.7 per cent among others,” Nweze said.
Mr Uchenna Orji, Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, said that the budget for the Ministry of Human Capital Development was not only for financial empowerment but mental empowerment of citizens.
“This involves the empowerment trainings and orientation for skilled craftsmen, artisans, technicians among others to harness their skills for self empowerment.
“It is also to maximise the opportunities provided by the Federal, State governments, donor agencies, development partners, individuals among others.
“The state government’s Stimulus Development Programme is to galvanise development partners to help Ebonyi people benefit from various opportunities they provide for economic development,” he said.