AWKA – The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed the state 2014 budget of N145.3 billion for the services of the state government this fiscal year.
The passage followed the presentation of the report of the assembly committee on finance and appropriation during a plenary by the Committee Chairman, Miss Nikky Ugochukwu (APGA- Orumba South), on Thursday in Awka.
Ugochukwu said that the budget, which was submitted to the legislature on Nov. 12, 2013 by the former governor, Mr Peter Obi, was increased slightly by N5.3 billion.
“The amended area is the governor’s office which was raised from N790 million to N820 million and was approved considering the security challenges in the state.
“The amount represented an upward increase of N5.3billion on the N140 billion submitted by the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Peter Obi,’’ she said.
In his contribution, Mr Gabriel Onyenwife (PDP-Ayamelum), said the upward review of the budget estimate of N140 billion was to accommodate the expenses incurred during the conduct of the local government election.
“The new governor had proposed additional increase of N5 billion on his predecessor’s estimate, but the assembly added N300 million which brought the total budget size to N145.3 billion.
“The earlier estimate of N7.9 billion proposed as recurrent expenditure for the government house was reviewed upward to N8.2 billion.
“An additional N100 million was added to the estimate earlier proposed for the state assembly to take care of the new structure being constructed at the complex,’’ Onyenwife said.
In his contribution, Chief Emeka Idu (PDP-Onitsha-North), said the assembly did a thorough scrutiny of the budget to arrive at the budget size.
Idu said that the approval was given to enable government improve on the welfare of the people and called for its religious implementation through prompt releases.
Ruling, the Speaker, Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili, said that passage of the budget was for government to render effective and efficient services to the people.
A breakdown of the figure showed that a total of N41.9 billion is for recurrent expenditure, while N103. 095 billion is for capital expenditure. (NAN)
