The Ekiti House of Assembly on Monday committed the reviewed N91 billion Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2020 to its Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative consideration.
The decision was taken after debate by members at plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Funminiyi Afuye.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House had earlier passed a 2020 Budget of N124 billion tagged: “Budget of Deliverables.”
Members attributed the downward review of the budget from the N124 billion to N91 billion to the economic reality foisted on Nigeria and Ekiti in particular by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Mrs Olubunmi Adelugba, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, government has to review its budget downwards to meet the state’s economic reality.
Mr Tajudeen Akingbolu(APC- Ekiti West State Constituency 1), Mr Steven Aribasoye (APC-Ikole 2 State Constituency) and Mr Ayodeji Ajayi (APC-Ise/Orun State Constituency) said the review was necessitated by the crash in oil prices at the world market.
They described the reviewed appropriation by the executive as welcome and timely to ensure the workability of the state’s expenditure.
Mr Olajide Adegoke(APC- Efon State Constituency, Mr Femi Akindele( APC-Irepodun/Ifelodun State Constituency and the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Hakeem Jamiu, hailed the decision.
Mrs Teju Okunyigba( APC-Gbonyin Constituency), on her part, described the proposed review of the appropriation bill as a ‘direct response’ to the current economic reality.
Afuye said the need for the supplementary appropriation bill could not be faulted.
“States, particularly Ekiti, must cut its cloth according to its size now that the world economy is affected by the outbreak of the Coronavirus,” he said.
Earlier, the Assembly, through unanimous resolution, had adopted the Ekiti Medium Term Expenditure Frame Work (MTEF) 2020 to 2022 Document presented by Gov. Kayode Fayemi.
The motion for its adoption was moved by Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, the Majority Leader, and seconded by Adelugba.
