Governor Umo Eno is set to expand Akwa Ibom State’s 2025 budget from the originally signed ₦980 billion to ₦1.7 trillion, with a ₦695 billion supplementary proposal submitted for the State House of Assembly’s consideration.
The decision was formalised on Friday during the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting in Uyo, where the Governor also declared a state of emergency in the health sector following a maternal death at the General Hospital in Ikot Ekpene.
Speaking on the development, Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, explained that the EXCO approved the supplementary budget after reviewing a memorandum from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The new budget brings the total size for 2025 to ₦1.65 trillion, combining funds for both recurrent and capital expenditures.
The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) has also been amended in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Law to accommodate the revised budget.
The supplementary funds are intended to support the implementation of the new minimum wage, allowances for NYSC members, emergency flood and erosion control, and the completion of ongoing projects affected by inflation.
It will also finance the construction of new infrastructure, acquisition of CNG Mass Transit buses, funding for newly created ministries, development initiatives such as the Tree Crop Revolution and ARISE Shopping City, and renovation projects, including the State Assembly complex.
Regarding the health sector emergency, Umanah noted that the Governor has directed an upgrade of medical facilities, recruitment of 2,000 healthcare workers with waived VIN requirements, improvement of health training institutions, and engagement of retired medical personnel on contract.
An Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee, chaired by the Health Commissioner, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, has been established to oversee these reforms.
The council also received updates on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Akwa Ibom Geographic Information System (AKWAGIS) projects, with the official launch set for October 15, 2025.