Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi on Tuesday signed the state 2015 budget of N75 billion into law with a call on the people to tighten their belts in view of the economic realities in the country.

The governor, while assenting to the bill in Abakaliki, the state capital, described it as a budget of repositioning and commended the speaker and members of the House for the speedy passage of the bill.

“We hope not to go below the N75 billion bench mark as the government is working assiduously to improve on its Internally Generated Revenue base for good governance and enhanced living condition of the people.

“Governance is all about sacrifice, honesty and sincerity, and that would be our guarding principles and the spring board of this administration,” he said.

Umahi appealed to both the public and civil servants in the state to make sacrifices in the face of the present challenging economic realities in the country.

According to him, his administration would in the next six months provide potable water, street lights and bridges at few vital places in the state capital.

“Work will recommence on the dualisation on the Abakaliki portion of the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway. The chasing away of the federal government from the site by mine predecessor was a breach of the law and procedure.”

Governor Umahi further said that the state government was carrying out empirical evaluation of all primary and secondary schools in the state with a view of upgrading them to standards.

“Government would undertake the same process on the general hospitals as well as complete all projects started by previous administrations in the state,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Francis Nwifuru described the budget as balance, realistic and aimed at facilitating the development thrust of the present administration.

“The budget would make for effective and efficient public service delivery,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ceremony was attended by all members of the National Assembly from the state. (NAN)

•Photo shows Governor Umahi.

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