Diri Signs N489.4bn 2024 Appropriation Bill into Law, Ogun Assembly Passes 2024 bill of N703bn

James Sowole in Abeokuta and Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, yesterday signed the state’s 2024 appropriation bill  tagged “Budget of Sustainable and Shared Prosperity” totalling N489,443,632,374 into law.

This figure represents an increase of N8.450 billion from the earlier N480,993,632,369 the governor presented to the House of Assembly for consideration on November 29, 2023.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted Diri as saying that the budget signed at the Government House, Yenagoa, prioritises key sectors like education, infrastructure, healthcare delivery and agriculture.

He expressed optimism that a careful implementation of the budget would improve the living conditions of the people and address rural and urban poverty.
He said: “In order to realise our vision of sustainable and shared prosperity, we have carefully crafted this budget to prioritise key sectors aimed at improving our infrastructure, expanding access to mass education with emphasis on technical, science and vocational manpower development, enhance healthcare services, and promote agriculture as a means of creating employment opportunities and reducing poverty.

“You recall that I presented a budget proposal of N480,993,632,369 to the Assembly. But I observed an upward review to the tune of N489,443,632,374, which gives us a difference of N8,450,000,000 to provide more funding for the construction of an ultra-modern stadium, ultra-modern renal centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, the construction of an administrative block for the Primary Health Care Board and other critical overhead expenses.
“Having adopted the bottom-top approach in the preparation of this budget, specific rural community needs are being prioritised. It is our intention to ensure that the benefits of this budget are felt by all. We will work tirelessly to bridge the gap between the urban and rural areas in order to reduce the menace of urban poverty.”

Earlier, Speaker of the House of Assembly,  Abraham Ingobere, stated that a slight upward review was made on the budget proposal of the governor to meet the present economic realities in the country.
He appreciated Diri for presenting an all-inclusive budget that captured the economic realities and the yearnings of people of the state.
Diri also assented to the Bayelsa State Electricity Law 2023, charging the Managing Director of the state electricity board, Olice Kemenanabo, to ensure that the state sets up its electricity outfit to not only generate and distribute but also commercialise power.

He also directed Kemenanabo to issue licences to private investors interested in the sector as Bayelsa was endowed with gas, which is the primary resource.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State House of Assembly yesterday passed the 2024 appropriation bill of N703.28 billion earlier presented to it for consideration by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The bill was  presented about four weeks ago, with a review in the capital and recurrent expenditures as well as projected revenue of 18 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The passage of the bill followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation by its Chairman, Hon. Musefiu Lamidi, who subsequently moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by Hon. Damilola Soneye and was supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.
Consequently, the bill was read and adopted clause-by-clause by the Committee of Supply, led by the Speaker, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, during Thursday’s plenary held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to the report, the first schedule saw the upward review of the recurrent expenditure in the budget proposals of the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investments; Agriculture, Forestry, Transportation, Community Development and Cooperatives, Rural Development, Culture and Tourism, Education, Science and Technology, as well as TRACE and State Waste Management Authority.
Others that had their recurrent expenditures jacked up were: the Bureau of Lands and Survey, State Planning and Development Permit Authority, amongst others.
The change led to a reduction in total revenue target of government leading to a downward review from N210.248 billion to N198.748 billion, giving a reduction of N11.5 billion.

The revenue from excess crude was jacked up from N3.845 billion to N13.845 billion, resulting in an increment of N10 billion, just as capital receipt was moved from N128.372 billion to N136.872 billion, giving an upward review of N8.5 billion.
The report also indicated an increment in the proposed expenditure under the second schedule for the Office of Auditors General (state and local) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff moved the motion for the third reading of the bill, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.

 After that , the Clerk/Head of Legislative Service, Mr. Deji Adeyemo took the third reading of the bill before the lawmakers.
Responding, the Speaker, Oluomo directed that the clean copy of the appropriation bill be transmitted to Abiodun for his assent, adding that the people of the state would begin to enjoy more democratic dividends from the first day of the next fiscal year.
Abiodun had presented a total of N703.028 billion as the year 2024 appropriation bill to the state legislature, consisting of N415.656 billion for capital expenditure, while N287.37 billion was to cater for recurrent expenditure.