…Puts Human Capacity Building In Front Burner
The Executive Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief (Engr) Samuel Nwanosike (JP), on Wednesday presented appropriation bill of N4,725,200,521.00 (four billion, seven hundred and twenty-five million, two hundred thousand, five hundred and twenty-one Naira) only for the 2022 fiscal year to the Ikwerre Legislative Assembly for consideration and passage.
While presenting the 2022 appropriation bill tagged “A BUDGET OF HOPE” in the hallowed chamber, Isiokpo, Engr. Nwanosike stated that the budget hoped to complete and commission all ongoing projects and embark on new projects that would further enhance the wellbeing of the people. Saying it would be done through employment creation with emphasis on agriculture, skill acquisition and youth development.
According to him, the 2022 appropriation bill has the Recurrent Expenditure of N2,835,120,312.60 and Capital Expenditure of N1,890,080,208.40. Noting that recurrent expenditure would gear towards public facilities maintenance while capital expenditure would focus on completing ongoing projects and construction of new ones such as Council of Chiefs Secretariat, workers housing/accommodation, building of shopping mall and canteens, building of corpers lodge, purchase of vehicles for Chairman, Vice Chairman and other principal officers of the Council, building of motor parks at Igwuruta, Elele and Omagwa, renovation of Elele motor park, and renovation of Council’s existing structure.
The Council boss revealed that Ikwerre Local Government Council would garner the sums of N4,325,150,521.00 from Federal Allocation and N400,050,000.00 from Internally Generated Revenue in 2022 fiscal year for the funding of the proposed budget.
He reiterated that his administration would continue to pay attention to human capacity building while carrying out capital projects.
Engr. Nwanosike said, “Mr Leader, while carrying out capital projects, the Council will not lose focus on human capacity building through training and retraining of staff, Councillors, political office holders, youth empowerment and development. Also, the Local Government will continue to give support for social development on education, health, electricity, rural roads, sports and culture”.
Appraising the 2021 budget of N4,510,899,490.00, Engr Nwanosike said its performance was above fifty-five percent.
According to him, “Mr Leader, the overall performance of the 2021 budget is above 55%, despite the poor Federal allocations to the Local Government and abysmal internally generated revenue”.
The Executive Chairman of Ikwerre LGA used the opportunity to congratulate members of the 9th Assembly of Ikwerre Legislative Council over their electoral victory, while commending the Rivers State Governor, Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for creating congenial political and economic atmosphere in the State.
He appealed to the members of the Legislative Assembly to go through the 2022 budget estimates and pass it into bylaw for the development of the people and Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The Leader of Ikwerre Legislative Assembly, Hon Nwobuisi Chikwe-Tasie, while inviting the Chairman to make his presentation and lay the 2022 appropriation bill in compliance with the law, asserted that the budget would impact positively on the people when passed into law.
Motion for the acceptance of the 2022 Budget Proposal was moved by the Chairman of House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon Barr Augustine Chinedu Owhor, and seconded by the Chairman of House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Ishmael Odinichi Nyemezu.
Shortly after the budget presentation, Engr. Nwanosike led his team to inspect the ongoing chapel construction in the Council Secretariat.
