Edo assembly approves reduction of 2016 budget

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Edo assembly approves reduction of 2016 budget

The Edo House of Assembly on Wednesday approved a downward review of the state’s 2016 budget.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, had on Friday written to the house, urging it to approve the reduction of the budget from N116.64 billion as passed in February to N115.91billion.

In the reviewed Bill, the government slashed recurrent expenditure from N59.5 billion to N52.4 billion and increased the recurrent expenditure from N57.9 billion to N63.4 billion.


Considering the Bill at plenary, the Majority Leader, Foly Ogedengbe (APC Owan East), said the amendment of the Appropriation Act was to allocate unspent monies from one sub-head expenditure to another through “virement’’.

Ogedengbe said the reduction in the capital budget was to make funds available for government to pay workers salaries, particularly the judicial workers in the state.

He also explained that the reduction was due to the dwindling allocations from the Federation Account, arising from the fall in oil prices at the international market.

After the passage of the Bill though a unanimous adoption of a motion, the Speaker, Justin Okonoboh, said that the 2016 Appropriation Act had to be reviewed because of the dwindling federal allocation accruing to the state.


“We are reviewing the budget downward to reflect the reality of the nation’s economy,” he said.

The house’ rules 20, 27, 42 43 44 and 45 were suspended to enable the lawmakers consider the Bill.

Also, a bill for a law to establish the multi-door court house was received by the house for consideration. (NAN)