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Governor Orji presents N26.94bn supplementary budget to Abia assembly

By on December 5, 2013

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia on Wednesday presented a supplementary budget of N26.94 billion for the 2013 fiscal year to the state house of assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the figure brings the state’s total budget to N160.09 billion for the 2013 fiscal year.

The assembly had earlier approved N134.14 billion as the 2013 budget.

Mr Chidiebere Nwoke, the Majority Leader of the assembly, who presented the supplementary budget on Wednesday, said the additional figure would enable the government to complete some on-going projects.

Nwoke said the government had embarked on many legacy projects, noting that the support of the lawmakers would serve as impetus to the governor.

Seconding the motion, Mr Martins Azubuike (PDP-Isiala Ngwa North) appealed to his colleagues to key into the vision of the state governor by accelerating the passage of the budget.

Azubuike, who is the Chairman of the assembly committee on appropriation, noted that mega projects currently being done by the governor were closing the development gaps in Abia.

He urged the lawmakers to support the bill.

The supplementary budget later passed through its first and second readings and was referred to the committee on appropriation for further legislative work.

Meanwhile, the assembly has summoned Mr Ukeh Kalu, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, to appear before it on Dec. 9.

The invitation, according to the assembly, is for Kalu to throw more light on the appointment of officials of state’s multi-door court house.

Mr Ikedi Ezekwesiri (PDP-Umunneochi), who moved the motion, told the assembly that the commissioner did not follow due process and that he even ignored the earlier directive of the assembly on the matter.

“The house promptly acted upon and directed the judiciary service commission to stop further action on the matter, but instead of staying action, the attorney-general decided to act on his own prompting,’’ he said.

Nwoke, while seconding the motion, said that inviting the commissioner was imperative, as it would help to throw more light on the reasons for his action. (NAN)