CrossRiverWatch Obtains Ayade’s 2020 Proposed Budget, To Release Details From December 25

By CrossRiverWatch Admin

The editorial board of CrossRiverWatch says it will from December 25, 2019 publish in a series, some details of the Cross River State NGN1.116 trillion budget estimates for the 2020 fiscal year.

A statement signed by the Editor, Charles Kalu said; “This is in line with our mission statement to contribute to the development of Cross River State.”

The statement said the series will run till the budget is passed and eventually assented to, by the Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade.

“The details will help inform Cross Riverians and indeed Nigerians. That will shape the discussion about the State and help entrench accountability as the plans of the State Government will be laid bare for all to see,” the statement read.

Governor Ben Ayade had in November presented the budget estimates tagged “Olimpotic Meristemasis” before the House of Assembly.

It is still unclear whether the Assembly has invited the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Parastatals (MDA’s) of Government to defend the budget.

With over 98 percent of the MDA’s yet to get Political Heads, questions about who will defend the budgets and explain the financial directions proposed remain unanswered.

However, CrossRiverWatch gathered that senior Civil Servants in the ranks of Permanent Secretary and Directors have been used by the Governor, with the guidance of some past aides to achieve some objectives since he assumed office for a second term on May 29, 2019.

Unlike 2019 approved budget with four sections (general, rural, social and economic) the 2020 Olimpotic Meristemasis has the above four and a new section called Law and Justice was introduced.

See the executive summary and proposed consolidated financial statement exclusive to CrossRiverWatch below;