Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has announced his administration’s plan to acquire four aircraft with a total of N41,132,463,000 to expand Enugu Air.
Presenting N971billion 2025 Budget Appropriation to the State House of Assembly on Tuesday, Governor Mbah reiterated his administration’s determination to transform Enugu State into a commercial hub within Nigeria.
Revealing the estimates entitled “Budget of Exponential Growth and Inclusive Prosperity” at the floor of the House, Mbah said the proposed budget comprised N837.9billion Capital Expenditure, representing 86 per cent of the budget, and a Recurrent Expenditure component of N133.1billion, representing 14 per cent of the budget.
He said, “In the area of Transport, we will be spending a total of N41,132,463,000 to expand Enugu Air with the acquisition of 4 additional aircraft. In addition, we will be consummating the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam international airport as well as the construction of an international cargo terminal.
“We will also be floating a new taxi scheme in collaboration with the private sector to modernize urban and inter-urban transportation for Ndi Enugu.”
Meanwhile this news follows the refusal of Peter Mbah’s administration to pay off the pension and gratuity of the civil servants in Enugu State.
The Enugu State government under Governor Peter Mbah is owing N26,847,958,721.56 in gratuities and verified pension arrears according to audited report of the Accountant-General of the state for the year, 31st December 2023.
The report indicated that the N26,847,958,721.56 amount was owed as of December 31, 2020.
The Chairman Enugu State Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Elder Ikechukwu Ekere, told SaharaReporters that pensioners in Enugu State are dying of hunger and diseases because they have no money to take care of themselves, coupled with some of them being owed over 40 months arrears of pensions.
According to Ekere, from September 2010 till date, no gratuity has been paid to the pensioners in the core civil service in Enugu, while primary school and local government pensioners haven’t been paid their gratuity since 2006 and parastatals since 2021.
