We will do justice to 2016 budget - Usoro Akpanusoh

The Akwa Ibom State  House yesterday  25th, January 2016 began the defence of the 2016 budget proposals by Ministries. 

The defence which took place at the Conference Room of the Assembly was conducted by the House Committee on Appropriation and Finance. The budget attracted officials of Ministries, Departments, Social Sectors, Parastatals as well as Agencies who appeared before the committee to defend their proposals for 2016 fiscal year. 

In his welcome speech, the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Rt. Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh said that the budget defence was to enable the House of Assembly have an insight on how the last year’s budget was implemented by the Ministries and the challenges they faced.

Akpanusoh noted that his committee in particular and the House of Assembly in general will do its best in ensuring that the budget proposal of the year 2016 has was presented to the Akwa  Ibom State House of Assembly on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 by   the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel would receive the necessary attention and consideration by his committee in particular and the House of Assembly in general. He called on the cooperation of all the committee members, clerk of the committee, Staff of the Assembly as well as members of the press throughout the two weeks programme. 

Ministries that appeared before the committees are; Commerce and Industries, Economic Development, Finance and Environment. Others are; State Secondary Education Board, State Universal Basic Education and State Technical Schools Board among other parastatals.

However, Ministries that are expected to appear today Tuesday are; Health, Women Affairs and Social Welfare and Cooperative, Ministry of Chieftaincy Affiars, Local Government Service Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal, Ministry of Lands and Town Planing, Uyo City Development Authority and Buerau of Labour and Productivity.

Meanwhile, Ministries are to appear before the committee with detailed lists of sources of Revenue in their Ministries; the actual amount generated in 2015 and the expected Revenue in 2016, Capital Budget Implementation reports from January to December, 2015 by Budget Item as per the attached format.