Diri proposes N1.24trn Bayelsa budget, earmarks N422bn for works

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has proposed a N1.24trn budget for 2027, allocating N422.84bn to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and targeting 100 megawatts of electricity supply.

The proposed N1,242,688,970,520.22 appropriation, presented to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, allocates N840.79bn, representing 68 per cent, to capital expenditure, while N401.89bn is earmarked for recurrent spending.

Christened the 2027 Budget of Assured Prosperity and Sustainable Growth and Development, the proposal is approximately 22 per cent higher than the 2026 budget.

Presenting the estimates, Diri said the government would prioritise infrastructure, public services and projects capable of stimulating economic activities across the state.

He said the budget was based on an oil price benchmark of $60 per barrel, crude oil production of 1.8 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N1,400 to the dollar.

Other assumptions include an inflation rate of 18 per cent and projected economic growth of 3.5 per cent.

The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure received the largest allocation of N422.84bn, followed by Education with N126.97bn and Sports Development with N68.50bn.

The Health Ministry was allocated N53.32bn, Security N24bn, Public Utilities N22.94bn and Agriculture N17.74bn.

Diri said the administration would prioritise the completion of ongoing roads, bridges and other strategic infrastructure, particularly road projects across the senatorial districts.

He said the projects were expected to connect communities, improve access to markets and link the state’s marine resources to investment and commercial activities.

On electricity, the governor said the government was targeting 100 megawatts of power supply in 2027, while efforts would also be made to improve water provision, beginning with the Yenagoa metropolitan area.

He said the government would support agriculture through improved seedlings, fishing inputs and assistance to cooperatives, noting that Bayelsa’s land and waterways offered opportunities for increased food production.

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In education, Diri promised continued investment in model schools, tertiary institution accreditation, technical and vocational education, digital learning tools and teachers’ training.

He also pledged to improve healthcare facilities, strengthen primary healthcare services and introduce measures to retain doctors and nurses, particularly in rural communities.

The governor said the N68.50bn allocated to sports development would support the completion of the state’s 30,000-capacity stadium before the end of his administration.

He also listed proposed power plants and a nine-storey Civil Service Secretariat Complex among projects expected to serve the state beyond his tenure.

Describing the proposal as historic, Diri said it was the first budget of Bayelsa’s fourth decade and the last to be presented to the current Assembly.

He urged lawmakers to scrutinise and pass the estimates in time for the Appropriation Law to take effect in January 2027.

The governor said the presentation was in compliance with Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

He also called on political parties and their supporters to maintain peace and decorum, warning against actions capable of threatening the state’s unity.