By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru on Tuesday presented a ₦884.8 billion budget proposal for 2026 to the State House of Assembly.
Govt. Nwifuru also announced plans to establish a state-owned cement factory as part of his industrialisation drive.
The governor said his administration had cleared long-standing pension and gratuity arrears inherited since the creation of the state in 1996, restoring “the dignity” of thousands of pensioners.
He restated that the People’s Charter of Needs remains the guiding philosophy of his government.
Nwifuru said the budget prioritises education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and youth empowerment, describing it as “a people-first roadmap” for sustainable growth.
He highlighted ongoing empowerment programmes that have supported more than 5,000 beneficiaries with grants ranging from ₦1 million to ₦100 million, alongside vocational and agribusiness training.
On education, the governor listed major projects including the new University of ICT at Oferekpe Agbaja, the University of Aeronautic Engineering at Ezza, over 1,000 scholarships, and 43 model secondary schools under construction.
He noted improvements in the health sector such as free maternal care, deployment of ambulances, recruitment of medical workers, and upgrades of general hospitals.
Nwifuru also disclosed the reactivation of the Waste-to-Wealth Plant in Umuoghara and the ongoing development of the Ebonyi State Industrial City in Izhiangbo.