8th December, 2022
By Mercy Obojeghren
The Delta House of Assembly has passed the state 2023 Appropriation Bill of N571.6 billion.
This followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during the plenary session on Wednesday.
The budget is made up of recurrent expenditures of N235.5 billion and capital expenditures of N336.1 billion.
Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Mrs Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, said that the budget showed an increase of N10 billion as against the N562 billion earlier presented by the state governor.
She explained that the 2023 budget, christened ”Budget of Seamless and Stable Transition,” targeted the provision of sustained investment in new and ongoing projects and the creation of employment and business opportunities, among others.
According to her, the Appropriation committee carefully scrutinised the various reports of the sub-committees with their recommendations vis-a-vis the objectives of the budget.
”The committee, after careful evaluations of the various heads and sub-heads, decided to return the budget estimate of N571.6 billion.
Consequently, the Majority Leader, Chief Ferguson Onwo, moved a motion for the third reading and passage of the Appropriation Bill.
The motion, which was unanimously adopted by the Assembly when put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, was seconded by the member representing Ethiope East Constituency, Mr Innocent Anidi.
While commending the lawmakers for the speedy passage of the bill, the speaker noted that the Assembly has once again successfully discharged the key function of authorising government expenditures in line with the provision of section 121 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as altered.
”I am confident that the timely passage of the bill is in line with international best practises, and Delta State is off to a good start in 2023.
“I believe that this bill will greatly impact the lives of the people of the state as well as consolidate all the great works of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration,” he said.