*** Governor Okowa Hails Speaker, Others For Diligently Working On Budget
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has said that the 2020 Appropriation Bill went through a rigorous process before it was passed by the House
Speaking on Thursday, December 12, 2019, while presenting the 2020 Appropriation Bill to the state Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for his assent, the Speaker said that in passing the budget, the figure was increased to N395.47 billion from N395. 19 billion proposed by the governor in the Bill presented on November 6, 2019.
He stated that in passing the budget, the figure was increased to N395.47 billion from N389.19 billion proposed by the governor in the Bill presented on Nov. 6, 2019. Recurrent expenditure is N172.15 billion and capital expenditure,N223.32billion
“Your Excellency, you will recall that on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 you did present to the House the year 2020 Appropriation Bill. The proposed size of the Year 2020 Budget was #389,190,799,362.00 (Three Hundred and Eighty-Nine Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Million, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira only). The breakdown of the proposed 2020 Budget into Recurrent and Capital Expenditures are as follows:
Recurrent Expenditure #171,549,384,315.00 and Capital Expenditure stood at – #217,641,415,047.00 “.
He stated that according to the Rules of the House, the presentation of the Budget by the Governor is deemed as the First Reading of the 2020 Appropriation Bill, adding that the Bill was read a Second time on Thursday, 7th November, 2019 and was referred to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriations for further consideration, with all standing committees of the House becoming sub-committees to the Committee on Finance and Appropriations for the purpose of consideration of the Budget.
The Speaker who was accompanied by principal officers and the Clerk of the House, informed the Governor that the Committees of the House swung into immediate action and invited Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government for the defense of their proposed Budget Estimates, saying that; ” I must confess Your Excellency that our Committees’ engagement with the MDAs was very robust. After a thorough analysis and scrutiny of the proposed Budget by the Committees, the Finance and Appropriations Committee reported to the House on Tuesday, 3rd December, 2019″.
He disclosed that; “The report of the Finance and Appropriations Committee on the 2020 Appropriations Committee on the 2020 Appropriations Bill was considered at the Committee of Supply on Wednesday, 4th December, 2019. After the consideration of the Bill at the Committee of Supply, the year 2020 Appropriations Bill was read the Third time and passed”.
“The total size of the 2020 Appropriations Bill as passed by the House if #395,475,393,668.00 (Three Hundred and Ninety-Five Billion, Four Hundred and Seventy-five Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty-Eight Naira) only”, he said.
The Speaker added; “After considering the representations made by the MDAs at the Budget Defense and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) of the State, the Budget was passed with an increase of the sum of #6,284,594,306.00 (Six Billion, Two Hundred and Eighty-Four Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Six Naira) only, which amounts to 1.614%”.
Signing the 2020 Appropriation Bill , Governor Okowa stated that in spite of the trying times in the nation, his administration would do its best to work with the budget to achieve its developmental goals.
According to him, with the Appropriation Bill signed into law today, it has become obvious that; ” We as a government now have the financial document with which we can work and hit the ground early in 2020. It is very instructive for us members of the executive arm of government that we pray that God will provide the resources projected within the budget in terms of internally-generated revenue”.
“This is because if the resources do come from our IGR we will do the best that we can to execute projects and programmes in such a manner that it will be very impactful on the lives of our people.There is no doubt that despite the fluctuating price of oil, Nigeria still depends a lot on oil for the purpose of funding its budget both in the oil-producing and non-oil producing states and the Federal Government”, he said.
“As a state we have tried to be very reasonable with our budget size and I believe that it is the right thing for us to do because the budget itself is supposed to be a document in which we have a pact with the people of Delta, so if we have
projections, we must put down those projections that we think are achievable.
“In the budget we have ensured that some key projects have been provided for which includes the construction of new technical colleges in all 25 local government areas in the state because as a government we believe that acquisition of technical skills will go a long way in equipping our youths to face the challenges ahead.
“The completion of all drainage projects as well as road projects will be seen too; our health sector will also receive more attention as well as other sectors,’’ he said.
The governor commended members of the legislature for their diligence in ensuring that the bill was speedily considered saying, “I truly thank Mr Speaker and the House of Assembly for being very diligent in the course of their duties in handling the Appropriation Bill.
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