As part of preparations for the 2025 budget, the Delta government has announced ambitious plans for inclusive growth and environmental sustainability, as it has made a twenty-five percent reduction in the state’s debt.
This was disclosed by the Honorable Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at Asaba, attended by traditional leaders including HRM Major General Felix Mujakpero (rtd.), the Orodje of Okpe, as he also outlined key priorities for the upcoming budget, focusing on job creation, infrastructure development, and social welfare improvement.
In his address, Ekedayen emphasized the critical role of citizen participation in shaping the state’s economic agenda, noting that the input from traditional rulers, community leaders, and other stakeholders would ensure that the 2025 budget reflects the real needs of Deltans.
His words: “This engagement ensures our budget priorities reflect the needs of our communities. And it reinforces the administration’s commitment to transparency and inclusive governance.
“The Oborevwori administration takes the citizens’ engagement very seriously, ensuring that we prioritize the people’s needs for as long as resources allow,” he said.
In addition to the green economy focus, the commissioner also said, “Delta State has made significant progress in reducing its debt stock. At the beginning of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration, the state’s debt stood at N465.3 billion. By June 2024, this had been reduced to N303.4 billion—a 25.3% reduction that is a major achievement for the administration”.
The Commissioner also highlighted the state’s impressive revenue performance, saying, “Delta generated N523.6 billion in the first half of 2024, representing 144.4% of the state’s budgeted revenue.
“The importance of the citizens’ engagement forum is more than just an annual ritual, because beyond meeting the World Bank requirements, the forum allows the government to align its priorities with the needs of the people”, he added.
Discussions at the meeting touched on security, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), agriculture, waste management, and road infrastructure, assuring “The 2025 budget would prioritize sectors like agriculture, electricity, debt repayment, and sustained infrastructural development”.
Highlight of the meeting was the announcement of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Delta State Government, Serandib Capital Limited, and Eight Versa, a UK-based company.
The partnership, according to Ekedayen, “Is designed to harness the state’s abundant forest resources to create thousands of jobs through green economy initiatives. The initiative is novel and the first of its kind in this part of the world,” explaining that the project will focus on preserving the state’s forests while monetizing them through the harvesting of carbon credits.
This is expected to generate alternative revenue streams for the state, address environmental concerns, and provide employment opportunities.
