BY ANDREW IKEHI
THE 2024 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, was yesterday read the third time on the floor of the Delta State House of Assembly and was subsequently passed.
The passage of the re-alignment bill was sequel to a report by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation as presented by its Chairman, Hon. Marylyn Okowa-Daramola.
Presenting the committee”s report at yesterday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, chairman of the committee, and Member representing Ika North- East Constituency, Hon. Marilyn Okowa-Daramola said the committee after careful scrutiny of the 2024 supplementary appropriation bill and the proposed re-alignment observed that the bill only seeks to re-align the first schedule by increasing the approved sum to approximately N30 billion while the second schedule is also re-aligned to reduce it by same figure, adding that the amendment does not in anyway affect the total approved 2024 budget size of 724.9 billion naira.
The committee, therefore recommended that the house consider and approve the amendment of the 2024 appropriation law to reflect the new changes in both recurrent and capital expenditure.
Motion for the passage of the bill The bill was moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, just as it was seconded by the member representing Ughelli North 1 state constituency, Hon Matthew Omonade.
Commending the lawmakers for their legislative deligenec in the passage of the bill, The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, noted that the amendment will no doubt, help the state government carry out its expenditure in some critical areas of need.
Also at Plenary, a bill for a law to amend the Delta State Local Government Law, 2013 scaled through second reading.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi alongside other lawmakers, including Chief whip, Perkins Umukoro, Hon. Augustine Uroye, Hon. Charles Emetulu, who spoke on the bill, explained that the amendment sought for in the bill only seeks to introduce a new department of department in the Local Government Council to work in line with the World Bank Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene, SURWASH program.
The bill was thereafter referred to the house committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further legislative consideration and to report back on Tuesday, 11 December 2024.
In another development, the house screened and confirmed the member nominees for appointment as security consultant into the Delta State Traffic Management Authority.
