During the Anambra State house of assembly plenary on Tuesday, the Anambra reverse appropriation bill 2022 passed the second reading, ANN Reports.
A bill for a law to provide the sum of 169, 621,744, 141 naira for the services of the government of Anambra State of Nigeria for the year ending 31st December 2022 and for related purposes.
Recall that late last year Angel network news reported a budget for the year 2022, budget made by the last administration, the new administration under the leadership of Prof Charles Soludo made some changes to the budget.
Honorable Godwin Nnamdi Okafor member representing Awka South 1 constituency expressed his Joy over the reversed budget, pointing out the budget on roads, he said that seeing the dilapidated roads in Anambra State, the pot holes, erosion chopping and cutting off roads, several roads not being motorable.
He is of the opinion that a lot of roads need to be constructed in Anambra State in addition to some roads that needs to be repaired which was why the current administration budgeted heavily on road construction.
Elaborating more on the budget, honorable Godwin Nnamdi Okafor disclosed that the new budget stipulates 50 billion naira will be used to construct approximately 200KM of roads in Anambra State.
Honorable Godwin Nnamdi Okafor voiced his disagreement that 50millon mapped out for roads repair and maintenance is too poor, looking at the state of the roads in Anambra State.
He stressed that he is not happy with the capital, mapped out for the legislative arm in the reversed budget. “The budget for the legislative arm is seriously slashed”.
“The legislative arm is an arm of the government and they have several things on desk to settle and the legislature will need money to settle that”. Godwin point out that this should be address.
According to honorable Godwin Nnamdi Okafor this budget will be financed from borrowing but that is not a problem because Anambra State needs infrastructure and without borrowing there won’t be infrastructure and the State will not be able to raise the revenue that will be needed to run the affairs of the State.
Honorable Paschal Agbodike the deputy speaker opined that the reversed budget is people oriented budget because it targeted on the needs of Anambra people.
He pledge his support that the reverse budget go for second reading.
Honorable Chima Pete Ibida member representing Njikoka 2 constituency expressed his comfort on the reversed budget which dwell mostly on the side disturbing Ndi Anambra Pointing out the area’s which includes the devastated roads infrastructure which he stated increased with 31 percent.
According to honorable Chima Pete Ibida the core problem of the people of Anambra State, is road infrastructure and is being addressed in the reversed budget.
He pointed out that this mapped out sum should be checked so those to carry out this road construction should do it right.
Honorable Timothy Ifedioranma member representing Njikoka I constituency supported that the reversed budget pass the second reading. He urged the house to pay more serious attention on education.
Honorable Lawrence Ezeudu member representing Dunukofia constituency stressed out some certain point which he wish to appreciate the executive.
According to him when it comes to the ministry of youth, there is an increase in the capital, this really means that the administration is concerned with empowering the youth.
In the ministry of women affairs there is also an increase in the capital, pointing also the ministry of housing where there is over 100 percent increase. He commend the executive arm for this wonderful budget.
Notwithstanding he disagreed with the reversed budget when it comes to environment. Stating that above 1 billion was usually what is being mapped out for refuse disposal but is now slashed down to 100 million.
If nothing is done on this reversed budget on environment very soon they will stop disposing refuse in Anambra State, because the money mapped out must have been far spent.
Also looking at the health care budget, Lawrence Ezeudu pointed out that the primary health care companies were taking out.
Ezeudu cried out that reversing 308 million capital estimate to 6 million capital estimate for local government election is a fact that there’s no plan to see the local government election coming into light. He plead with Anambra Assembly to look deeply into the reversed local government election capital estimate.
