Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Dr Usoro Akpanusoh, has said sponsors of the erroneously circulated budget estimate of N9.6billion for the Governor’s Lodge in Lagos failed in their intentions.
According to the House Committee Chairman of Finance and Appropriation, the alleged N9.6billion was a budget estimate for the Ministry of Housing and Special Duties.
Dr Akpanusoh, who had a chat with Ibom Telegraph recently, said “Before we went on recess, I made a press statement to clear some issues that were erroneously and falsely circulated and one of those issues was the appropriation for the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge in Lagos and I did say that N1.2billion was the appropriation for the Lodge and not N9.6billion as was falsely circulated. Originally, it was N500million and the Governor later proposed N700million in the Supplementary Budget. The alleged N9.6million is rather for the Ministry of Housing and Special Duties to take care of projects like the ongoing Power Sub-Stations in the state; VIP Buildings; Coconut Factory; High-Rise Building at the former Uyo Market; the Second Runway at Ibom International Airport, and several other items. So, the sponsors of that rumour failed in their intentions. That information was just the handiwork of blackmailers.”
He said, though his Committee was still doing monitoring and evaluation of the Budgets, the Sixth Assembly is so far satisfied with the level of its implementation and performance, adding “We have also seen the efforts of government in trying to prioritize the funding of the Budget based on the 5-Point Agenda of the present administration.”
On the issue of Constitution amendment, Dr Akpanusoh, who represents Esit Eket and Ibeno Local Government Areas in the House of Assembly, said “Unfortunately, one area I had expected the National Assembly to have included in the Constitution amendment was the issue of restructuring. Hopefully, some of the items that will be coming to us will include the issue of independent candidacy, autonomy of the Houses of Assembly and the autonomy of the Local Government System. All these will be to strengthen the unity of Nigeria.”