Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, has explained why the House increased the 2026 Appropriation Bill by ₦65 billion above the sum initially presented by the Executive.
Guwor spoke shortly after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori assented to the ₦1.729 trillion 2026 Budget at the Government House, Asaba, noting that the adjustment followed detailed legislative scrutiny and consultations with stakeholders.
According to him, the ₦1.664 trillion budget proposal laid before the House by the Governor was subjected to sector-by-sector review, during which lawmakers identified critical areas requiring additional funding in the interest of Deltans.
“What was presented to the House was a proposal. As legislators, we examined the document thoroughly and discovered areas of urgent need that required further attention,” the Speaker said.
He disclosed that a major contributor to the ₦65 billion increase was the inclusion of funding for newly enacted laws, particularly the Social Investment Programme Law.
“Today, we also signed into law the Social Investment Programme, which has a provision of about ₦10 billion in the 2026 Budget. That alone accounts for a significant part of the increase. Other sectors were also re-tweaked to address pressing needs of the people,” he explained.
Guwor emphasised that the decision to raise the budget size was a collective one by the House and not driven by individual interests.
“This is not about the Speaker; it is about the House and the people of Delta State. Our priority was to place the interest of Deltans first, which informed the increase from ₦1.664 trillion to ₦1.729 trillion,” he said.
On implementation, the Speaker assured that the House would deploy its oversight powers to ensure the budget delivers measurable dividends of democracy.
Read also:
- Delta Speaker Oborevwori dedicates Appeal Court victory to God, Deltans
- LP Assembly candidate assassinated in Imo
- Omo-Agege, Sheriff await Ogboru in all- Urhobo Delta guber battle
He said the various committees of the Assembly would closely monitor ministries, departments and agencies to ensure full and lawful implementation of approved projects and programmes.
“With effective oversight, MDAs will be compelled to implement the budget strictly in line with the law passed by the House,” Guwor said.
The 2026 Appropriation Law, tagged “Budget of Accelerating the MORE Agenda,” was signed into law on Monday, December 16, 2025.
