Delta State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed the supplementary appropriation bill of N71 billion for the 2023 fiscal year ending December 31.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had on Tuesday, forwarded a letter containing the supplementary budget proposal to the House Assembly for necessary legislative actions.
The appropriation bill, which went through first reading on Tuesday, was read the second and third time and, subsequently, passed.
Opening debate on the bill after the suspension of relevant rules of the House, Majority Leader of the House, Ferguson Onwo, commended Governor Okowa for the proposed bill, noting that the bill was aimed at ensuring the completion of ongoing developmental projects in the state.
The lawmakers who spoke separately on the importance of the bill at the plenary chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly, Ochor Ochor, insisted that the passage of the bill would help in scaling up the infrastructural and capital developments in the state.
The members representing Ika North East, Anthony Elekeokwuri, Uvwie; Solomon Ighrakpata, Ughelli South; Rueben Izeze, Aniocha North; Emeka Nwaobi, among others, added that the proposed bill was also aimed at beefing up the welfare of the generality of Deltans.
Governor Okowa had in the letter, explained that the proposed appropriation bill was made up of N5.6 billion for recurrent expenditure, and N65.5 billion for capital expenditure for the year ending December 3, 2023.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly, Ochor commended members for their legislative ingenuity in the passage of the bill.
