The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel has stressed the need for a focused defense in the 2024 budget estimates in line with the New Abia mantra which seeks a rapid and focused transformation of the state for the better.
Rt.Hon Emeruwa who made the call while declaring open the 2024 budget Defence in the State House of Assembly noted that the State House of Assembly will take serious the issue of strict implementation in its oversight and encouraged those in charge of implementation to be conversant with and work towards the direction of the present administration in the state to achieve set goals.
In their separate speeches, the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Appropriation, Budget and Planning, and member representing Aba Central, Mr Stephen Ucheonye and the Co-chair man and member for Umunneochi State Constituency, Mr Mathias Ume called for the cooperation of the heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved in the defence and implementation of the budget to enable the government attain greater level of implementation adding that the Governor Alex Otti is determined to see that tax payers money are well deployed for the maximum benefit of the people of the state hence the current budgetory outlay.
Contributing, the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Dr John Pedro Irokansi described the budget Defence as an annual ritual where the people through their elected representatives give their approval for the spending of their resources and called on all involved to take the exercise seriously to achieve the desired objectives.
The flag off featured, Government House and the Deputy Governor’s Office led by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Chinedu Ekeke, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, the State Head of Service, Dr. Mrs Ngozi Obioma, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr Kingsley Anosike among other heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies led their team to the defence with an assurance of ensuring compliance to the budgetory provisions when approved and passed into law.
