- MDAs Begin Budget Defence
BY ANDREW IKEHI
THE Delta State 2025 Appropriation Bill as presented by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, yesterday, sailed through second reading on the floor of the State House of Assembly.
This is coming as the lawmakers, also yesterday commenced the budget defense by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on their proposed 2025 budget.
Among MDAs already quizzed by the respective House Committees were; Ministries of Urban Renewal, Youth and Sports Development, Science and Technology, Special Duties as well as Rules, Business, Legal and Judicial Matters.
At the second reading of the bill presided over by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, Members of the State House of Assembly spoke in favour of the bill, underscoring its economic import for all Deltans.
Leading the debate on the bill, the Majority Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, particularly noted that given the huge budgetary allocation for road infrastructure, it speaks volume of the State Governor’s poise and commitment towards ensuring robust infrastructural development in the state in the 2025 fiscal year.
While saying that the budget proposal is people-oriented, Guwor stated that the proposed budget, christened “Budget of Fiscal Consolidation” demonstrates that the State Governor is a man with high level of dexterity in accountability, transparency and positivism in governance.
A breakdown of the budget envelope shows a Capital expenditure of N587.3 billion representing 62.75 per cent of the total budget and a total sum of N348.7 billion as total recurrent expenditure representing 37.25 per cent of the proposed budget.
Further breakdown of the proposed budget showed an increase of N211billion as against the 2024 approved budget of N725bn, indicating an increase of 29 per cent.
The increase, according to the State Governor, was largely due to the re-alignment of the exchange rate, which, he explained, resulted in higher FAAC allocations and associated revenues, just as he added that it is in addition to a corresponding improvement in the state’s Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) in the year.” Hon. Nwaobi said just as he enjoined the Lawmakers to ensure speedy passage of the bill.
