The early passage and publication of budget is now a brisk business to any tier of government in Nigeria wishing to benefit from a foreign financial windfall.
Consequently, Mr. Akan Okon, Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport speaking during a one-day public hearing on A bill to appropriate monies out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and Capital Development Fund to the service of Akwa Ibom State Government and for other matters connected therewith organised by House Committee on Appropriation and Finance wants the House to speedily pass the budget into law.
Okon presenting a position paper of his ministry at the old House of Assembly chapel, Uyo on Monday said “If the budget is passed on time and is made available for publication on the state website by first week of January 2020, Akwa Ibom will be entitled to $3 million grant.
“What World Bank and other donor agencies do not want is for a budget to be implemented in January to be passed in May. The question is “what about the expenditures you made in the previous months, where did you derive authority from?” he stated.
Okon recalled that World Bank had adjudged Akwa Ibom as number one in terms of implementation of its programmes, hoping that the state would replicate this in the budget passage.
Though Okon did not specifically mention the prospective donor of the $3 million, he thanked the House committee for promptly putting up the public hearing, and expressed the hope that the budget would be passed into law on time.
On Agriculture, the commissioner said the government intends to support local farmers through the provision of loans and other farming implements, to increase agricultural outputs to boost food sufficiency in the state and to process agricultural products for local consumption and export.
Okon spoke on the efforts by government to boost human capacity through adequate provision monies in this year’s budget to prospective beneficiaries.
On security of life and property, he hailed the effort of Governor Udom Emmanuel for his commitment in putting security apparatus in place to make Akwa Ibom one of the most peaceful states in the country.
He did not shy away from Ibom Deep Seaport seen as the emerging economic hub of the state and the country in general, saying that its approval for commencement of work has reached an advanced stage.
He was happy that though port development is in the exclusive list of the Federal Government, the state government has obtained many documents pending now presentation of the final proposal on the seaport to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
On aviation, he extolled Ibom Air as a flagship airline in the country. “It is the intention of the government to ensure it fulfils the purpose it was set up.”
The commissioner announced state government’s plans to embark on grassroots development and empowerment of the populace through the state Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Committee for them to reap the dividends of democracy as well as to strengthen local government administration in the state.
For the strategies for budget implementation, he said government would encourage Private-Public Partnership, development of industrial, infrastructural, agricultural sectors, encouragement of private sector participation, and attraction of tertiary investors and donor agencies to undertake robust investments in the state.
