Awka – Anambra State House of Assembly on Tuesday, passed the 2021 Anambra State Appropriation Bill into law.
The draft estimate was presented to the Assembly by Governor Willie Obiano exactly one month and four days ago, on which occasion the members assured the governor of speedy action to ensure timely passage into law.
With a size of N143, 661, 871, 651, drafted for the services of the government of Anambra state from January to December 31st, 2021, the budget was passed following a motion for submission of report by the Finance and Appropriation Committee was moved by Hon. Nnamdi Okafor, member representing Awka South 1 and Majority Leader of the House.
After the report by the Committee was duly considered by the House, the bill was unanimously passed by the House.
However, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu representing Anaocha 2 constituency and the Chairman House Committee on Basic Education, raised concern over the omission of the personnel cost of school teachers in the budget year which was dictated earlier but was not fully addressed as only N4 billion was earmarked for that instead of N9.82 billion which is the actual personnel cost.
The position was also reinforced by Hon. Lawrence Ezeudu, the member representing Dunukofia constituency, although noted that the situation can be remedied with a supplementary budget among other budgetary instruments, a position that was well taken by the House.
Reacting to this, Hon. Obinna Emeneka the Chairman of House Committee on Finance and Appropriation responded that the House retained the budget size to maintain World Bank Standards.
Some of the inputs and adjustments made by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation in its report include; moving some funds from the proposed capital expenditure of the Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency to the Agency’s personnel cost which had zero budgetary allocation.
Also, for the Civil Service Commission, about N1.5 million was removed from the Commission’s proposed new office complex with multiple examination centre and then added to the Commission’s proposed expenditure on capacity building originally pegged at N6 million making it a total of N7 million.
For the State Bureau of Statistics, computation of the state gross domestic product was increased by N10 million, making it a total of N40 million.
Also for the Anambra State House of Assembly, training of Honourable members and staff was increased by N10 million.
The Anambra State Rural Electrification project was also increased from N500 million to N1 billion, among many other adjustments.
