The Adamawa State Executive Council, in its fourth sitting for the year 2025, has approved a N14 billion budget amendment to cater for the construction of projects and the deployment of funds to other projects not captured in the approved 2025 budget of the State.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting on Friday at the Council Chambers in Government House Yola, the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, the Honourable Iliya James, stated that the budget amendment, when it takes effect, will cater for the construction of the Adamawa State International Conference Centre, the upgrade of Adamawa College of Agricultural Science and Technology in Ganye, and deploy funds to cater for the Adamawa Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project.
The Commissioner emphasised that the approval was not a supplementary budget, but an amendment to cater for projects not captured in the budget.
According to the Honourable Iliya James, the State Executive Council has also approved the award of a contract to engage the services of a consultant for the pre- and post-contract services for the remodelling and development of the Specialist Hospital in Yola.
He announced that, based on the NIMET 2025 weather prediction, the State Executive Council finds it necessary to start a campaign and disseminate information across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State. Reiterating that, given the challenges of when the rain will fall and the ambient temperature that will be faced in the state, the delay in rainfall, drought, and the effect of the warmest temperatures that may likely result in an outbreak of meningitis and other related diseases, raised concern, and the Council noted its intention to embark on a campaign strategy for the people to be aware and take precautionary measures.
Contributing, the Commissioner of Budget Planning, the Honourable Emmanuel Anthony Piridimso, explained that the State Executive Council approved a budget amendment/virement, whereby the EXCO examined the budget, amended some areas, and drew money from some areas to cater for others. He stated that the projects will soon be executed.
Explaining the new development at the Specialist Hospital Yola, the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Honourable Felix Tangwami, disclosed that recently, Governor Fintiri purchased a Computer Tomography machine, known as a CT scan, for the Specialist Hospital. He added that the one at the Specialist Hospital has been removed, its software upgraded, and moved to the General Hospital Numan for the benefit of the citizenry.
The Honourable Tangwami announced that the upgrades the Specialist Hospital is receiving from Governor Fintiri's administration include the Kidney Centre, which is currently providing free services, the Public Health Laboratory, which has been equipped, as well as the Admin Complex, which has been repaired. He said that Governor Fintiri has given a directive for the submission of the cost of furniture for the admin complex that was destroyed by fire.
He hinted that the proposed remodelled and newly designed staff quarters in the Specialist Hospital are aimed at providing staff with a conducive environment and, when completed, will accommodate doctors, nursing officers, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, as well as those in special duties.
While the Commissioner of Environment, the Honourable Ahmed Sadiq, said that the impact of the climate is real and is affecting the state in general. He highlighted that last year, the devastating effects of climate change caused a drought affecting 14 LGAs in the state, lasting for 28 days.
The Honourable Sadiq announced that the State Executive Council has established a Committee to devise a solution and a resolution that the state government will follow to minimise the impact of climate change and submit a report within one week. He listed the committee members to include representatives from the Ministries of Environment, Health and Human Services, Water Resources, Information and Strategy, and Local Government Affairs.
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