OGUN ASSEMBLY PASSES N338.6BN 2021 APPROPRIATION BILL

By Raymond Osho

ABEOKUTA – Barely a month after the presentation of the State Budget by the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for the consideration by the legislative arm, the Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 passed the 2021 Appropriation bill of N338,610,943,021.86.

The Bill was passed within slight adjustments in the recurrent and capital expenditures estimates and revenue projection of about 74 agencies including the capital receipt.

The unanimous passage of the bill followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation chaired by Hon. Olakunle Sobunkanla who later moved the motion for its adoption.

The bill was thereafter read and adopted clause-by-clause before the members by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, during the plenary held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Also, the bill was passed with adjustments in the recurrent expenditures of 29 agencies, just as the capital expenditures of 27 other agencies were equally affected, while the revenue targets of 18 Ministries/Agencies were modified; with internal loan reduced from N98.33bn to N95.7bn resulting in N2.62bn reduction.

The adjustment also affected the total recurrent estimate which moved from N141.7bn to N146.5bn giving over N4.779bn difference, while capital expenditure was reduced from N176.677bn to N171.898bn, giving a total reduction of over N4.779bn.

On revenue side, the new revenue projection now put at N121.808bn as against the initial N119.180bn, giving a difference of over N2.626bn, just as capital receipt was also slashed from the initial N142.154bn to N139.527bn resulting in N2.626bn decrease.

Consequently, the new figure contained in the appropriation bill earmarked N146.529bn for recurrent, N20.182bn for Consolidated Revenue Fund Charges (CRFC) while N171.898bn was allocated for capital expenditure in the next financial year.

The motion for the third reading of the bill was later moved by Majority Leader, Hon. Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Hon. Oyedeji and supported by the whole House, while the Clerk/ Head of Legislative Services, Mr. Deji Adeyemo did the third reading of the bill before the members.

Responding, Speaker Oluomo directed that the clean copy of the bill be sent to the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his assent, while using the opportunity to commend his colleague lawmakers, management and staff of the Assembly for their unrelenting efforts towards promoting good governance through the passage of people-oriented legislations.