Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has assented to the N456.2 billion budget of Economic Reconstruction for 2021 fiscal year with the assurance that all projects initiated will be completed before the end of the administration.
This follows a N20.5 billion augmentation to the N435.6 billion proposal earlier presented by the state governor to the State House of Assembly before passage of the bill on the December 8, 2020.
The 456.2 billion was arrived at following addition of N6.1 billion to the proposed N158.4 billion in the recurrent and 14.4 billion to the proposed 226.9 billion in the capital estimates.
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Signing the appropriation bill during an enlarged Executive Council Meeting held Thursday, December 10, 2020, at Government House, Uyo, Governor Emmanuel expressed satisfaction with the timeliness in the state’s budgetary process having complied with the World Bank deadline.
He commended the leadership and members of the House of Assembly, especially the House Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Ministries of Finance, Economic Development and the State Budget Office for their dedication to duty.
He acknowledged the zeal in which the agencies of government approached the processes leading to the passage of the budget, saying that the painstaking approach has availed the state with the appropriation bill thereby setting economic tone for the 2021 fiscal year and assured that the budget would be judiciously implemented to fast track the realization of it objectives.
“I want to thank you and your entire leadership because I’ve seen the sincerity in your heart to join hands so that we can get things done.
“…Be rest assured that we will implement this budget to the best of our ability and knowledge. I also want to use this opportunity to reassure you that as long as this administration is concerned, all our projects will be completed”, he stated
Briefing Government House Correspondents soon after the session, the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh, explained that the augmentation became necessary following certain dynamics informed by the post-COVID 19 pandemic and aftermath of the EndSARS protest.
According to him, there was need to review the proposals presented by heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to accommodate, for example, the restoration of AKBC facilities, furnishing of the Traditional Rulers’ complex and other needs stemming from reports of the post-COVID Economic Committee.
Also, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Uwemedimo Nwoko SAN, affirmed that the content of the bill represented the interest of the state and lauded the compliance of the governor and the legislature with the provisions of section 100(1) and (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
