The Benue State Executive Council has reviewed downward, the year 2020 state budget from N195bn to N119 billion.
State Governor, Samuel Ortom announced this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday after an expanded EXCO meeting on COVID-19 in Government House, Makurdi.
The Governor said the review was done in view of the Coronavirus pandemic and the economic realities on ground.
Gov. Ortom recalled that in December 2019, he had signed into law the 2020 budget amounting to N195 billion saying “today, council reviewed it to N119billion and by tomorrow, Thursday, I will transmit it to the Benue State house of Assembly.”
He said as a responsible government, they must take proactive steps to check the recession that is setting in.
READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Review Of N10.59tn 2020 Budget Inevitable – Senate
According to him, the International Monetary Fund, IMF, projection is that the 2020 recession will be 3.4 percent. “This will be worse than that of 2016 which stood at 1.5 percent.”
He therefore noted that there was need for Benue state to do something and urgently too, to prevent the state from going into serious economic challenges, part of which is promoting massive agriculture in the state.
He stated that EXCO also reviewed measures put in place so far since the Coronavirus pandemic and resolved that those measures should continue for the next two weeks.
The Governor who noted that inter state travels was posing a huge challenge in the fight against the pandemic said the committee has resolved that those in the transportation business must carry restricted number of passengers which is one passenger on a motorcycle, two in a tricycle, three in a taxi and seven passengers per bus.
He appealed to all and sundry to support government and live by the rules saying “although state government has not locked down the state totally, everyone must observe the dusk to dawn curfew, wash their hands regularly, use sanitizers and observe social distancing.
Ortom assured Benue people that the state is working with the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that no new case resurfaces in the state.
