By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has clarified that the state’s 2026 budget estimate is not up to one trillion naira, contrary to speculations making the rounds.
He made the clarification while presenting the 2026 appropriation bill to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Yenagoa.
The governor said the proposal, tagged “Budget of Assured Prosperity II,” reflects his administration’s focus on infrastructure, human capital development, and improved service delivery.
Diri presented a total budget size of N998,371,313,943.04, noting that it would be funded through a mix of statutory allocations, federal receipts, internally generated revenue, and loans.
The projected revenue framework includes statutory allocation of N42.2bn, VAT N84bn, 13% derivation N212.6bn, and other FAAC allocations amounting to N488bn.
Internally generated revenue is expected to contribute N85.9bn, while internal and external grants stand at N24.9bn with an additional N50bn in domestic loans.
The governor disclosed that the state plans to spend N645.2bn on capital projects, representing 64.6% of the budget.
Recurrent expenditure is projected at N353.1bn, accounting for 35.4% of the total estimate.
As has been the trend, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure received the largest allocation with N298.6bn, underscoring the administration’s commitment to road construction and the completion of landmark projects such as the nine-storey civil servants’ secretariat.
The Education Ministry received N75.1bn, Sports N46.5bn, and Health N39.7bn, reflecting the government’s emphasis on social development sectors.
Diri also set aside N10.8bn for the provision of pipe-borne water, saying the intervention aligns with his earlier pledge to solve the state’s long-standing water challenge.
He further listed allocations for power generation and supply (N16.5bn), security (N21.5bn), and agriculture (N15.6bn) among other critical sectors.
Governor Diri commended the legislature for its continuous cooperation, noting that both arms of government were elected to improve the lives of the people.
“Bayelsans elected us to take bold actions to improve their quality of life. That is what we are doing and will continue to do,” he said.
He assured that ongoing projects—including the three senatorial roads, Glory Drive Phase 3, Ogu-Akaba-Okodi Road, Sabagreia–Polaku Road, Toru–Orua–Bolu–Orua–Kabeama–Ebeni Road, internal roads and the ultra-modern state secretariat—would remain a priority in 2026.
The governor appealed to the Speaker and members of the Assembly to accord the bill careful consideration and ensure its speedy passage.