The Anambra State Assembly has passed the 2023 budget to a bill, to the tune of N259.9 billion in less than one month after the Anambra State governor; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo presented the 2023 estimated budget of the state to the house.
The bill was passed on Tuesday, following the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary.
Mr. Nonso Okafor, the Deputy Chairman of the committee the passage stated that the capital expenditure was increased from the proposed N164.2 billion to N164.4 billion based on the needs of the ministries, departments, and agencies, accounting for 63.2 percent of the budget. While the recurrent expenditure was N95.4 billion, accounting for 36.8 percent.
“In carrying out the assignment given to the committee by this house, we organised and invited MDAs for bilateral discussions and thorough scrutiny of the 2023 Budget.
“We recommend that the budget size be retained except for little adjustments based on the needs of some ministries, departments, and agencies.
“That the sum of N259,938,121,905 is approved for the service of the Anambra state government for the year ending, Dec. 31, 2023, and for related purposes,” he expatiated.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Uchenna Okafor in his remarks commended the committee for thorough scrutiny of the budget, and he presided over a voice vote for the adoption of the report.
The house passed the bill after the voice vote and the speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Esther Anaetoh, to send a copy of the bill to Gov. Soludo for his assent.
“I commend all the standing committees for carrying out their mandates as expected. We recognised the place of budget to accelerate and drive good governance in the state. We urge residents to continue to support Gov. Soludo’s administration,” he said.
The Speaker also announced that the House will hold a valedictory session on Dec. 8, for the Late Dr Nnamdi Okafor, Majority Leader of the House who died on Aug. 24, in South Africa.
Dominica Nwabufo
