Lagos Assembly okays amended 2024 Appropriation Law

• Increases capital expenditure
• Pledges collaboration with Army on security

Lagos State House of Assembly has approved amendment of the 2024 Appropriation Law with the total size of N2.27 trillion.

The reordering of the budget is sequel to a letter dated August 9, 2024, sent to the House by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The House, during its plenary, yesterday, gave the approval after the Chairman of the Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Lukman Olumoh, presented the report and recommendations of the committee, which were adopted as the resolution of the House.

The recurrent expenditure was reduced from N952.43 billion to N935.38 billion, while capital expenditure was increased from N1.32 trillion to N1.33 trillion. This adjustment reflects a shift in focus towards boosting spending on key ministries, agencies and parastatals.

The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, thereafter, directed the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, to forward a clean copy of the bill to the governor for his assent.

In another development, Obasa has pledged the support of the House for the Nigerian Army with the goal of sustaining the peace experienced in the state.

Obasa gave the assurance, yesterday, when he received the 48th Commander of the 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Olawale Matthew Oyekola, who visited the House with his team.

According to the Speaker, the state’s legislature is committed to ensuring peace and stability in all the local councils of the state and welcomes every support in that regard.

He specially commended the military for tackling insecurity in some parts of the country, particularly in the North-East.

Speaking earlier, Oyekola said he was in the House to associate with the lawmakers who he and his men are mandated to protect.

He noted that he was returning to the state 20 years after he left.

He, therefore, solicited the support of Lagos residents for the Army, which he called the third layer of protection, with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as the first layer.

He said: “Wearing this uniform does not make us different from the people. We are first civilians before becoming men in uniforms.”