The Abia State House of Assembly, has passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill into law.
Announcing this at the floor of the House during plenary today, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu, stated that the figure approved is the tune of #140,207,371,290 billion.
Recall that the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had on December 28, 2018, presented to the State House of Assembly a budget proposal of #139.058bn for consideration but after due legislative process and thorough deliberations from House, the above figure was approved and passed into law.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the passage of the budget, the Speaker stated that the budget was tagged Budget of Consolidation to complete the infrastructural and vital projects embarked upon by the Ikpeazu led administration adding that Abians should expect more dividends with the recent approved budget.
He cited some of the recommendations approved by the House that MDAs are not permitted to spend outside their budgetary approval without due consultation of Abia House Of Assembly for approval and also added that MDAs should be given monthly subventions to run their offices effectively and efficiently.
Kalu further informed that all the dormant revenue windows should be reactivated and properly harnessed by the Board of Internal Revenue through the revenue generating MDAs stating that MDAs should apply prudence in fund management to enable the State government address cardinal issues that will help the populace.
While recommending also that the State government should endeavour to pay salaries of institutions like Abia State Polytechnic and College of Technical Arochukwu in order not to go moribund, the House warned that the issue of contracting all revenues to people should be checked properly and for them to work with the relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies and Parastatals to achieve the desired result.
