Fashola Presents N46B Supplementary Budget

PHOTO: LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN.

LAGOS, June 29, (THEWILL) - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) on Monday presented a fresh supplementary budget of N46 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

Fashola proposed a new supplementary budget almost three months after the Assembly declined a supplementary budget of N74.777 billion forwarded to it on the ground that additional funds are required to finance capital projects and personnel costs.

At a plenary session yesterday, Clerk of the House, Mr. Adewale Olatunji read a letter titled, ‘Y2010 Supplementary Appropriation’, on the floor of the Assembly.

The letter, which was signed by Fashola, said there is need to revisit some provisions of the 2010 Budget due to developmental projects since the 2010 budget was passed by the House, adding that, it is the right to do it before the House proceeds on its recess.

The letter read in part: "It has therefore, become imperative to supplement the Y2010 budget in order to ameliorate the financial constraints affecting on-going projects and programmes; overseas and local healthcare costs for indigent and critically ill citizens.

"The request also covers State personnel profile and costs; contingency provision for unforeseen expenditures ; funding of our job creation/poverty alleviation initiatives; especially the Rice Production and Food Security plans; and completion of on-going courts and other security/law and other projects,’’ Fashola said. This will enable the state achieve "further spread of service delivery across the state."

Precisely on March 22, 2010, the State Executive Council had written the Assembly requesting for revision of the budget but was advised by the lawmakers to wait until middle of the year to present a supplementary budget for its consideration and approval.

But the Assembly declined a supplementary budget of N74.777 billion presented by the executive.

It was then said the supplementary budget was declined due to the fact that a sum of N2.77 billion sought to fund rice and vegetable production was not reflected in the 2010 appropriation law and another N10 billion for personnel cost was not justified.

It also refused to approve the request claiming that the State Executive Council failed to give a detailed analysis from the affected ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in order to justify the need for the supplementary budget it forwarded to it.

After intensive deliberations, the Assembly rejected the previous supplementary budget as recommended in a report of the Appropriation Committee presented to the 40-man Assembly by Hon. Taiwo Kolawole, noting that such request should be sent in the third quarter.