By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

MDAs begin 2022 budget defence today

As Ministries, Parastatals, Agencies and MDAs begin the defence of their budgets today, the Ondo State House of Assembly has passed the amendment of the 2021 appropriation bill.
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had on September 28, 2021 presented a budget proposal of N191,638,387.000 billion for the 2022 fiscal year to the Assembly.
The budget, tagged ‘Budget of Economic Re -Engineering”, is slightly higher than the 2021 budget, which was N174.873 billion. The 2022 budget represents an increase of 9.59 percent over the budget of 2021.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, Akeredolu stated that recurrent expenditure is N102.106 billion which represents an increase of 7.15 percent over the 2021 recurent expenditure, while the capital expenditure estimates amounted to N79.621 billion.
Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Sunday Olajide submitting the reports of the committee to the House for consideration said the House approved the pooling of N3,196,581,000 billion from recurrent expenditure component of the 2021 budget and the relocation of the funds among existing programmes within the recurrent component without any alteration to the budget size.
The House also approve the pooling of the N9,974,145 billion only from the capital expenditure component of the 2021 budget and the reallocation of the funds among existing projects in the capital expenditure component without any alteration to the budget size.
While stating the justification for the amendment, he said in order to ensure that the fiscal instrument (Budget) continues to play the major role of enhancing economic activities in the state the need to review and re-ordering arose such that additional funds were provided for the hyper active sub-heads to accomplish target goals.
The Committee observed that replacing the existing first and second schedules will accommodate all the necessary arrangements required without altering the initial approved sum of One Hundred and Seventy-Four Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Three Million, Three Hundred and Five thousand, Five Hundred and Five Naira and Thirty-Two Kobo (174,873,305,505,32) only in the year 2021 Appropriation law.
After scaling through the third reading, the Majority Leader, Oluwoye Ogunmolasuyi moved a motion for the bill to be passed into law which was seconded by a Lawmaker representing Ile Oluji/Okeigbo constituency, Festus Adefiranye.
After the Lawmakers unanimously agreed through a voice vote, Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun ruled that the bill be passed into law.
In another development, an allegation of gross misconduct against the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government brought to the House was committed to the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs for proper investigation and recommendation.
Also, Mr Jaiyeola Benjamin Taye has been confirmed as the substantive Clerk of the House after approving the letter from the State House of Assembly Service Commission .
He became the Acting Clerk in August after the retirement of the Former Clerk,Mr Bode Adeyelu.