MEMBERS of the Enugu State House of Assembly on Monday passed into law a bill to authorise the issuance and appropriation of the total sum N17,010,000.000.00 (Seventeen billion, ten million) for capital and recurrent expenditure for the State for the year ending on December 31, this year.
The House had earlier approved the 2018 budget of N103.5 billion which was more than the over N98.5 billion budget estimate presented in December 2017 by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Debating on the merits of the bill, members of the House posited that Gov. Ugwuanyi was doing a yeoman’s job in using scarce resources to provide the needed democracy dividend, and pointed out that he ought to be encouraged by passing the supplementary appropriation bill into law.
A member representing Uzo-Uwani, Honourable John-Kevin Ukuta, expressed joy that 7 billion was added to the capital expenditure for works which would the road projects the government is doing in his local government alone not to talk of other numerous projects across the state.
“I am excited that Seven billion was added to the capital expenditure for works. This will go a long way in completing the ongoing road projects in Uzo-Uwani.
The Udi North representative in the House, Johnball Nwagu also expressed optimism that more money was voted for capital expenditure, which he said should be more than the recurrent expenditure.
The Speaker, Honourable Edward Uchenna Ubosi, while thanking his colleagues for their contributions to the debate on the bill, thanked especially the leader of the House who presented the executive bill for consideration and passage.
” I want to thank the mover of the motion for using the standing order to ensure that the bill saw the light of the day. I also wish to thank the executive for the way they have been managing the finances of the state,” Ubosi said.
