Delta Assembly passes 2021 Appropriation Bill with N5.5bn increase

Delta State House of Assembly, Tuesday, passed the state’s 2021 Appropriation Bill, increasing the original budget proposed by the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, from N378.4 billion to N383.95 billion.

The proposed budget was therefore increased with N5.5 billion representing 1.6 percent increase, as the bill was read the third time and passed on the floor of the house.

The bill was passed following a motion to that effect by the House Leader, Tim Owhefere, after the scrutiny of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation on the bill at the Committee of Supply, Chaired by the Speaker, Sherrif Oborevwori.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had on Tuesday, 27th October 2020, presented a proposed budget of N378.4 made up of N171.3 billion for recurrent expenditure and N207.5 billion for capital expenditure for the 2021 fiscal year.

Submitting the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Vice Chairman of the Committee, Festus Okoh, announced the increase of N5.5 billion to the amount the governor had presented.

This according to Okoh, comprised of N173.1 billion as recurrent expenditure and N210.8 billion capital expenditure.

The Lawmaker stated that the increase was necessitated by the need for budgetary provision for ongoing projects which were in the 2020 budget but not captured in the 2021 proposed provisions.

Okoh explained that his committee had taken time to scrutinize the various reports of the sub-committees’ recommendations, together with the objectives of the budget as enumerated by the governor during the presentation.

He stated that a careful evaluation of the submissions of the sub-committees and provisions in the various heads and subheads were carried out before returning the budget size to N383.90 billion.

At the Committee of supply, the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation was subjected to further legislative actions where some amendments were proposed and adopted.

The motion for the third reading of the bill and its subsequent passage was moved by the Majority Leader, Tim Owhefere, and unanimously adopted.

The Speaker, Sherrif Oborevwori commended members for their commitment towards making laws for peace, development, and good governance of the state.