2020 ANAMBRA STATE APPROPRIATION BILL OF 137BN PASSES SECOND READING

A bill for a law to provide for the sum of one hundred and thirty seven point one billion naira for the services of Anambra State for the year 2020 has passed the second reading in the State House of Assembly. Leading the debate, the Majority Leader of the House, Dr. Nnamdi Okafor, commended Governor Willie Obiano for the timely presentation of the budget, which he described as realistic.

Dr. Okafor, however, expressed some reservations on the allocation of one hundred million naira to Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, stressing that it should be looked into during bilateral discussions with Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Contributing to the debate, the Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Obinna Emenaka, said every good budget should be measurable, transparent and realistic.

Mr. Emenaka believed that all the roads in the state would be fixed before December this year (2019) when the rainfall slowed down. Also contributing, the member representing Njikoka II Constituency, Dr. Pete Ibida, appealed to the Federal Government to release the ten billion naira owed the state for the reconstruction of the federal roads in the area to enable the state finance the 2020 budget.

Meanwhile, the member representing Awka North Constituency, Mr. John Nwokoye, who noted that agriculture was the highest employer of labour, yet no money was set aside for youth empowerment on agriculture.

KEVIN EKEDIEGWU