Osun legislators pass N201 billion 2015 budget into law

OSUN State House of Assembly has passed the 2015 appropriation bill of N201 billion into law.

  The bill scaled through the third reading and was  passed at its sitting yesterday,  following a motion moved by the  Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Kamil Oyedele.

  Earlier, the house had dissolved to the Committee on Supply and made necessary amendment in the bill in respect of the report of the committee over the review and adjustment of the estimate.

  A budget estimate of N197.08 billion, christened, “Budget of Renewed Hope” was presented to the house on December 23, last year.

  In the course of the review of the budget estimate, the assembly adjusted it upward to N201.74 billion, to cater for the omission of the salaries of the middle school teachers, to the tune of N4,43 billion. 

  The recurrent expenditure in the passed budget is N90.6 billion, while the capital expenditure stands at N111,1 billion.

  The passed budget is expected to be forwarded to the Governor for his assent.

  Speaking on the upward adjustment of the budget, Oyedele said the increase was necessary because when the estimate was being drafted by the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), the salaries of the middle school teachers were omitted.

  He said it was in the process of scrutinising the estimate that the discovery was made, due to the effectiveness and vigilance of the house.

  The Speaker, Najeem Salaam charged ministries, departments and  agencies of government to ensure effective implementation of the budget for the benefit of the people of the state.

  He said the house deliberately sped up action on the budget due to its commitment to the development of the state, saying the lawmakers would not treat with kid glove whoever treats the budget with levity.