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2023 Budget: We Must Ask The Right Questions, Lagos Speaker Tasks Lawmakers

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The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has called on his colleagues to ensure the proper scrutiny of the 2023 budget.

Obasa stated this on Sunday at a 3-day budget retreat tagged ‘Consolidating the gains of the current administration in Lagos State in a transition year: prospects, opportunities and recommendations’ organised for lawmakers and staff of the Lagos Assembly.

In a statement on Sunday by his media aide, Eromosele Ebhomele, he said the screening of the 2023 budget will help close the gap between the estimated figure and revenue generated.

Obasa tasked the committees of the House to constantly be steps ahead so their members could ask ministries, departments and agencies the right questions during budget defence and oversight.

The speaker, therefore, commended the lawmakers for their passion to ensure the development of Lagos, adding that everyone recognises what the House have been doing in Lagos.

The statement read: “All over the world, the economy has been bad and affects whether a budget would be surplus or deficit. Here in Lagos, we have our own challenge.

“So bridging the gap between the budget size and revenue is what the House of Assembly should do. When the executive arm determines the cost of projects, the committees should be able to check for the value of such projects.

I am sure everyone recognises what we have been doing in Lagos and I urge you to continue so that you can always be appreciated.”

Earlier welcoming participants to the retreat, the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, said the event was an opportunity for the members of the Assembly to familiarise themselves with the breakdown of the 2023 budget.

Onafeko added that the retreat will help the lawmakwers to ensure effective continuity in budgetary guidance from lawmakers to Lagosians.”

Ibitel Consultant, which collaborated with the Assembly to organise the retreat, said it would help the members to reflect deeply on the ₦1.692 trillion 2023 budget recently presented by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

A representative of the organisation, John Mutu, added that the retreat would enable lawmakers effectively do a post mortem of the 2022 budget and identify other priorities of the State that can be accommodated in that of 2023.