TheCable

Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River, has presented a N330 billion 2023 appropriation bill to the state house of assembly.

Ayade presented the budget, tagged ‘Quantum Infinitum’, on Thursday.

The budget consists of recurrent and capital expenditures of N130 billion and N200 billion, respectively.

The governor said the 2023 budget will focus on the people and deeper agro-industrialisation where all unfinished projects will be finalised.

Since he assumed office, Ayade has had different titles for the yearly budgets of the state.

The budget for 2016 was tagged ‘Deep Vision’; in 2017, it was budget of ‘Infinite Transportation’, while the 2018 budget was titled ‘Kinetic Crystallization’.

In 2019, it was budget of ‘Quabalistic Densification’; 2020 had budget of ‘Olimpotic Meristemasis’; and 2021, budget of ‘Blush and Bliss’.

Speaking further while presenting the budget, Ayade said there is a need for massive recruitment to fill in the state’s workforce.

“There is a need for massive recruitment now so that the new people can understudy those who are leaving,” the governor said.

“By early next year, about 85 percent of the workforce in the Cross River state civil service will be leaving, so there is an urgent need for massive recruitment.

“I have been able to create an independent economy under my watch that needs to be sustained.”