Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the State Appropriation Bill, aka Delta State Budget, for the services of the state for 2025 financial year.
The passed budget christened “Budget of Fiscal Consolidation”, saw an increase of the total amount from 936.1billion naira presented to House last week for legislative actions by the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to 979.2 billion naira.
The breakdown of the amount showed the recurrent expenditure estimate amended from 348.717 billion naira to 348.767 billion naira, while capital expenditure was moved to 630.461 billion naira from 587.361 billion naira.
The amendment, according to the Chairman, Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, represents an increase of 50 million naira which is 0.014% over the proposed recurrent expenditure and an increase of 43.1 billion naira which is 7.34% over the original proposed capital expenditure budget estimate sent to the House by Governor Oborevwori.
Hon Okowa-Daramola’s presentation of her committee’s report led the lawmakers dissolving into committee of supply, chaired by the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor, to consider proposed amendments in the various sections and clauses of the bill.
She announced the total amended budget size as Nine hundred and seventy nine billion, two hundred and twenty eight million, eight hundred and eighteen thousand, seven hundred and nineteen naira.
“Mr. Speaker, after a critical examination of all the recommendations received from sub-committees, the Finance and Appropriations Committee recommends that the House consider and pass the sum of three hundred and forty eight billion, seven hundred and sixty seven million, seven hundred and fifty eight thousand, six hundred and thirty five naira as approved appropriation in recurrent expenditure.
“And the sum of six hundred and thirty billion, four hundred and sixty one million, sixty thousand and eighty four naira only as approved appropriation in capital expenditure”, Okowa-Daramola stated.
The lawmaker who represents Ika North East Constituency in the House, also recommended that the year 2025 approved budget be monitored for effective implementation.
Okowa-Daramola stressed that the 2025 budget clearly captures the policy direction of the state government, noting that the budgetary estimates reflect the goals of the MORE agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
After careful scrutiny of amendments sought by the Finance and Appropriation Committee at the Committee of Supply, the bill was read the third time and passed in unanimous voice votes.
The Speaker, Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, said the passage of the 2025 appropriation bill is a significant milestone to drive development across Delta state.
The Speaker also noted that the legislative accomplishment was a testament to the collective responsibility of the State Legislature to the welfare and prosperity of the state.
Guwor, while commending the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation as well as sub committees for their relentless effort in scrutinizing the financial document for 2025 fiscal year, also commended the lawmakers for a job well done.
He added that the house will continue to live up to its responsibility and would continue to synergise with the executive in ensuring the dividends of good governance gets to Deltans.
The Tuesday’s plenary session was observed by Leaders of the 25 local government Councils’ Legislative Arms in Delta State.
