Akwa Ibom Assembly Passes 2023 Appropriation Bill Of N700b

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel’s proposed budget for the next year has been passed into law.

Naija News understands that the State House of Assembly gave consideration to the governor’s presentation earlier last month and subsequently passed the 2023 Appropriation Bill into law.

Emmanuel’s proposed budget, which totalled N700 billion, is said to comprise N344.005 billion for recurrent expenditure and N355.995 billion for capital expenditure.

The proposed Bill, which amounted to 0.4% per cent of the initially proposed budget size, followed Hon. Uduak Odudoh-led House Committee report on Finance and Appropriation.

Governor Emmanuel had on Monday, November 7, 2022, during the presentation of his budget said that by virtue of Order 8, Rule 1(3) of the Standing Order of the House, the Appropriation Bill 2023 was deemed read for the first time.

After a fruitful clause-by-clause deliberation at the Committee of the Whole and Supply, members unanimously accepted the report and the Appropriation Bill was subsequently passed into Law.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, who presided over the plenary, directed the Clerk of the House, Mandu Umoren, to communicate the position of the House to the Executive Governor for assent.

Also, the House received a report on the Amendment of the Standing Orders of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (Sixth Edition).

The report was presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, Business, Ethics and Privileges, Barrister Otobong Bob (Nsit Ubium), Naija News understands.

The proposed amendment centred on Opening Prayers, Members/Officers/Sitting of the House, Arrangement of Public Business and the Establishment and Jurisdiction of Committees of the House.