Mixed reactions have trailed the recent action of the Delta State Government in amending the 2023 appropriation law of the state 9 months after its expiration.
The State House of Assembly on Wednesday at its plenary passed what it labeled as a revised appropriation bill 2023 it received from the state Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori into law.
At its resumption of plenary on Tuesday 4th September, 2024 after six weeks of recess, the Speaker of the House Emomotimi Guwor had read out Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s intent to amend the law via a letter addressed to him.
The amended law now has Recurrent Expenditure as N502.3 billion, as against the previous Recurrent Expenditure of N235.5 billion, while the Capital Expenditure will now be N307.4 billion, as against N336.1 billion, making the entire Budget size for the year 2023 to be N809.8 billion, for the service of the year ending on the 31st of December, 2023.
Moving the motion for the passage of the Bill after an extensive debate on the bill, and after a motion for the suspension of order 12, rule 90 to 92, was the Majority Leader, Hon. Engr. Emeka Nwaobi, member representing Aniocha North constituency and was seconded by Honorable Engr. Emmanuel Sinebe, member representing Patani constituency.
However, the hurried passage of the bill has been greeted with suspicions with many stakeholders questioning the motive for amending an already expired law.
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Reacting to the development, a former commissioner in the state, who would prefer to be anonymous, said the move might not be unconnected to covering up a suspected fraud, especially when the amendment jerks up the recurrent expenditure by over N260 billion while reducing capital expenditure by about N30 billion.
He said, “It’s very obvious, where have you seen an expired budget being amended? There must be something they are trying to cover up. Remember the same budget was passed three times, this would make it the forth. So it’s obvious that they didn’t do their cover up well. Also remember that the first supplementary budget was signed just 7 days to the end of the last administration so it’s obvious what happened”
The Delta State 2023 Appropriation law of N571.6 billion was first signed by then Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on 8th December, 2022 after it was passed by the House who jerked the initial amount presented by the governor by about N10 billion.
On the 22nd of May, 2023 Ifeanyi Okowa, signed a supplementary Appropriation Bill of N71bn approved by the House of Assembly seven days to end his administration.
Also on the 8th of September, 2023 another N166.5 billion was passed by the State Assembly, after its presentation to her by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori three days earlier.
