A’Ibom Assembly passes 2021 appropriation bill of N456.25bn into law

Akpan Umoh 

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly at plenary on Tuesday passed the 2021 appropriation bill of N456.25 billion into law.  

The 2021 budget as passed by the assembly is made up of N164.52 billion as recurrent expenditure, N241.45 billion for capital expenditure and N50,29 billion allocated for consolidated revenue fund charges. 

According to our correspondent, the House had earlier dissolved into Committee of Supply through a motion moved by the House Leader, Mr Udo Kierian – PDP member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency and seconded by Mr Aniefiok Akpan – PDP member representing Etinan State Constituency to consider the 2021 appropriation. 

The 2021 budget was christened: “Budget of Economic Reconstruction” as presented to the House of Assembly by Governor Udom Emmanuel on October 20.  

Earlier, chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Uduak Odudoh said this in pursuant to Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the relevant provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2004. 

He explained that the committee adopted participatory approach in its legislative budgetary process where MDAs, Non-Governmental Organisations and other relevant publics were invited to attend a Public Hearing on the budget on November 3. 

Odudoh said the budget focused on the Completion Agenda and its augmentation of N20.59 billion from the initial provision of N435.65 billion gives a reviewed outlay of N456.26 billion for 2021 fiscal year. 

The Committee also said the recurrent expenditure was reviewed upward by N6.11 billion from the initial N158.40 billion  and capital expenditure by N14.49 billion from the initial N226.96 billion giving a rise to N20.60 billion. 

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Aniekan Bassey, in his remarks, commended Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) that appeared before the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during budget defense. 

Bassey said that by the passage, the commencement date for the 2021 appropriation would be January 1, 2021. 

He said that the overall objective was to give priority to areas of immediate importance to Akwa Ibom people. 

The speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Mandu Umoren to send the clean copy of the bill to Gov Udom Emmanuel for assent.