ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Executive Council (EXCO) on Thursday approved critical fiscal documents to kick-start the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, while also greenlighting the construction of 10 new residential quarters for judges across the state.
Briefing journalists after the meeting presided over by Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme in Asaba, the State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, said the Council considered and approved the economic fiscal update, fiscal policy strategy, and budget policy statement, documents that are legally required and central to the budget preparation process.
“Before the commencement of any budget, there must be a set of assumptions, and it is those assumptions that the Executive Council considered and approved today,” Ekedayen said. “These documents will now be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for the enactment of the necessary laws, enabling us to commence the actual budget preparation.”
He noted that the assumptions for the 2026 fiscal year are aligned with national parameters agreed upon by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), ensuring uniformity across states. “This uniform basis will make it easier to integrate the budgets of sub-national governments into a national framework,” he added.
Key macroeconomic assumptions for Delta State’s 2026 budget include an oil production benchmark of 1.7 million barrels per day, an exchange rate of ₦1,500 to $1, a GDP growth rate of 3.4 percent, and an inflation rate of 23 percent. Ekedayen explained that these figures would guide the Ministry of Economic Planning in drafting the budget, which will return to EXCO for approval before submission to the State House of Assembly. “Today’s approval signals the beginning of the new budget season for Delta State,” he said.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Godknows Angele, announced that EXCO approved the construction of 10 new judges’ quarters in Asaba, Warri, and Osubi as part of the administration’s commitment to the welfare of the judiciary.
“His Excellency, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, believes in balancing all arms of government—the executive, legislature, and judiciary,” Angele said. “We already have commissioners’ and legislative quarters in Asaba. It was therefore necessary to provide befitting accommodation for our judges.”
The project, which marks the first phase, will consist of four-bedroom duplexes designed for comfort and security within designated judicial residential clusters. Five units will be built in Asaba and five in Warri/Osubi. Angele stressed that the project involves new construction, not renovation, underscoring the administration’s commitment to ensuring that the judiciary functions in a conducive and secure environment.
