The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa has directed the House joint committees on budget and economic planning and finance to re-order the budget of the state for year 2020 from N1.68 Trillion to N920.5 Billion.
The committees were told to report back to the House within one week.
This directive came after a voice vote conducted by the Speaker based on a request for the budget re-ordering contained in a letter sent to the House by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the state.
The letter was read on the floor by the Clerk of the House, Azeez Sanni during plenary on Wednesday June 3, 2020.
The Lagos State Government had recently disclosed plans to reorder the 2020 N1.168tn budget following current economic challenges as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, stated this during an inter-ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.
Egube said that the reordering became necessary in view of the slump in world oil price as well as the reduction in Internally Generated Revenue of the state.
According to him, “We are working assiduously to review the budget to refocus, reorder and take into consideration the current challenges. We need to do this to give us the best chance of stimulating the economy and ensuring that the post-COVID-19 response economy will be strong, and enduring”.
The House also mourned a former member of the Senate, who represented Lagos Central Senatorial District, Muniru Muse, who died on Tuesday at 81.
Speaking on the demise of the politician, Mojisola Miranda, (Apapa Constituency 1) said that the senator died in the early hours of Tuesday June 2.
“Senator Muniru Muse was our leader in Lagos Central, Apapa in particular. He was a clerk in the Nigerian Port Authority and he later rose to become the Port Manager.
“He was the executive chairman of Apapa Local Government for two terms, and he later represented Lagos Central at the senate for one term.
“I want us to observe a minute silence on his behalf and write a letter to of condolence to his family,” she said.
The requests were later granted as the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to write a condolence letter to the family of the deceased.
House later adjourned sitting to Monday June 8, 2020 by 12 noon.
