By Agency Report

The Cross River State Government has slashed its 2020 budget of N1.1 trillion to N147.1 billion and sent it to the state House of Assembly for deliberations.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Asuquo Ekpeyong, disclosed this on Monday in Calabar at a media briefing.

Mr Ekpeyong said the downward review became necessary due to the effect of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which made the over N1 trillion naira proposed earlier by the government unrealistic.

"As we are all aware of the current pandemic ravaging the entire world, the situation has come with both health and economic challenges.

"As a state, Cross River is not an isolation; we are affected economically. We have decided to review the 2020 appropriation to tally with the present economic realities.

"We have forwarded a reviewed budget of N147, 130, 166, 966 to the State Assembly for deliberations," Mr Ekpenyong said.

The commissioner said that the government had also taken some far-reaching humanitarian measures to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the residents of the state.

He said the state government is also mindful of extortionist agents who still go ahead to illegally collect taxes from those exempted from paying.

He said the tax exemption policy had been put in place and an anti-taxation committee set up to implement it, adding that anyone caught violating the policy would be prosecuted.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the state Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Okpanke Ogar, said Governor Ben Ayade had approved some incentives for individual taxpayers and businesses in the state.

He highlighted some of the incentives to include, tax exemption for individuals in the public sector who earn less than N100,000 monthly.

"Others exempted are the self-employed, including artisans, hawkers, commercial motorcycle riders, taxi drivers, barbers/hairdressers and restaurant owners.

"Tourism revenue, sale of tickets by various agencies and Local Governments have also been put on rebate till November," he said.

The chairman noted that although the measures would drastically affect the revenue profile of the state for 2020, the action was in the best interest of the people.

"In 2019, we generated N22 billion, but all these taxes abating, it will surely affect our IGR for this year. But the governor has done this in the interest of the people," Mr Ogar said.

(NAN).

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/south-south-regional/405359-covid-19-cross-river-slashes-2020-budget-from-n1-1tr-to-n147-1bn.html

Front page: lalasticlala mynd44

cross river state without oil wan budget trillion lolz

Na clowns dey rule us

Nwanyiogwashi:
cross river state without oil wan budget trillion lolz

You dey mind dem
Na only to dey blow useless grammar the Governor Sabi

Will the N147b cover their COVID-19 expenses?

Qaballistic densification and Olympotic examinesis My Governor don finally wake up to reality

Lol what about the super highway and deep seaport projects?

Some thieves in bourdillion budget over 1 trillion every year with nothing to show for it. It's good that he has gotten some sense now

147 billion was actually the budget.

Firespitter:
Some thieves in bourdillion budget over 1 trillion every year with nothing to show for it. It's good that he has gotten some sense now

If Lagos is not mentioned will you guys sleep?
Did Lagos take the allocation of your state, Is Lagos the reason why your state Governor is not performing, let something positive come out of your state to show that it is way better than Lagos.

“Ndi nna anyi si ebe nwata na Ele Anya na tu aka ma nne ya annoghi ya nna ya no ya (to every direction a child is facing or pointing at if his father is not their his mother is their)”

I will be disappointed if you have nothing in Bourdalion.

What is Cross River doing with over 1trillion budget, what they provided now is actually what is reasonable

NOC1:


If Lagos is not mentioned will you guys sleep?
Did Lagos take the allocation of your state, Is Lagos the reason why your state Governor is not performing, let something positive come out of your state to show that it is way better than Lagos.

“Ndi nna anyi si ebe nwata na Ele Anya na tu aka ma nne ya annoghi ya nna ya no ya (to every direction a child is facing or pointing at if his father is not their his mother is their)”

I will be disappointed if you have nothing in Bourdalion.

What is Cross River doing with over 1trillion budget, what they provided now is actually what is reasonable

Are you the P. A to that gutter and dustbin commissioner? Because they are the only group that defend the bourdillion thieves for a crumb. Are you one of them?

Nwanyiogwashi:
cross river state without oil wan budget trillion lolz

Swears, I was shocked.

Firespitter:
Some thieves in bourdillion budget over 1 trillion every year with nothing to show for it. It's good that he has gotten some sense now

Lagos state is just a normal state like Evey other states, critize your own state and your governors not someone else state.

Meanwhile you've never critize the minister of FCT

Sammy07:


Lagos state is just a normal state like Evey other states, critize your own state and your governors not someone else state.

Meanwhile you've never critize the minister of FCT

A state with all the national assets situated in it, can not be "just a normal state" you guys should get sense.

Budgeting over 1 trillion naira with nothing to show for it is unpardonable. As long as lagos is in Nigeria, we will continue to criticise the Alausa and bourdillion thieves that are milking the state dry.

Lagos is not your state, it is a state in Nigeria for Nigerians.

Firespitter:


A state with all the national assets situated in it, can not be "just a normal state" you guys should get sense.

Budgeting over 1 trillion naira with nothing to show for it is unpardonable. As long as lagos is in Nigeria, we will continue to criticise the Alausa and bourdillion thieves that are milking the state dry.

Lagos is not your state, it is a state in Nigeria for Nigerians.

What about Abuja, I skimmed through your post history.
The last minister of Abuja bala, did you critize him when he stole billions of naira as a minister?

You've never critize it.

What about port Harcourt?

Ayade is a mad man

lol

Sammy07:


What about Abuja, I skimmed through your post history.
The last minister of Abuja bala, did you critize him when he stole billions of naira as a minister?

You've never critize it.

What about port Harcourt?

What about his state.Are there no national assets there?Azikiwe started this foolishness and his kins have continued the stupidity until this day..

this is funny but not only funny....Lol

Cosbyrich:


What about his state.Are there no national assets there?Azikiwe started this foolishness and his kins have continued the stupidity until this day..

The guy nah flat head. Don't mind him

Sammy07:


The guy nah flat head. Don't mind him

mynd44 lalasticlala seun oam4j
rule 2

IgbalodeRaymond:
myn.d44 lalast.iclala seu.n oa.m4j
rule 2

Lol

Osagyefo98:
this is funny but not only funny....Lol

A seven times reduction in budget is always funny. This was probably their planned budget anyway.

So all the 1trillion budget na wash?

Yankee101:
So all the 1trillion budget na wash?

Lol if only the pandemic didn't strike.

Maple51:
Qaballistic densification and Olympotic examinesis My Governor don finally wake up to reality

lol