The Anambra State legislators have approved the N157.1 billion presented to them by the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, as the state’s budget estimates for the 2019 fiscal year.
Governor Obiano had less than two weeks ago presented the amount to the state Assembly for consideration and approval by the lawmakers as the state’s budget estimate for the coming fiscal year.
The lawmakers yesterday passed the budget estimate tagged, “Budget for Sustainable Growth and Youth Empowerment” which 43.3 per cent of the estimate representing N65.33bn was earmarked for recurrent expenditure, and 58.7 per cent representing N91.8bn was for capital expenditures.
A factional speaker of the Assembly, Hon Mrs Rita Maduagwu, who presided over the Assembly plenary commended her colleagues for ensuring speedy consideration and passage of the budget and directed that clean copies of the document containing the approved budget estimate be sent to the state governor for his assent.
The chairman of the state Assembly Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Obinna Chris Emeneka (Anambra East State Constituency), stated that the budget reflected the aspirations of the people of the state, adding that it was designed to consolidate and complete all ongoing projects in the state.
Governor Obiano had submitted the budget proposal to the state Assembly in the midst of the crisis rocking the legislature following the purported impeachment of Hon. Rita Maduagwu as speaker, by some aggrieved members of the state Assembly who elected Hon. Ikem Uzoezie as speaker of the House.
