Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State on Tuesday signed the 2020 state appropriation bill of N137,419,617,116 billion into law.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ikpeazu presented a budget of N136.617 billion to the state House of Assembly on November 18.
The budget, which the lawmakers increased by slightly above N1.9 billion, was signed into law at the Government House, Umuahia.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor said that the budget was in line with his administration’s desire to accelerate socio-economic development in the state and represented the aspirations of the people.
He said the state government was poised to ensure that about 70 per cent implementation of the budget was actualised.
He, therefore, urged implementing agencies to show corresponding seriousness to the state government’s resolve to move the state to a greater height.
Ikpeazu said: “My assurance is to ensure that we will stay within the framework of the budget.
“We will work to do better in percentage performance. This budget is meant to develop Abia.”
In a remark, the Speaker of the assembly, Chief Chinedum Orji, said that the decision to pass the bill into law before 2020 was informed by the mandate and desire of the government to enhance development in Abia.
Orji said that “the House of Assembly would want to see not less than 70 per cent implementation of the budget and will not hesitate to bring government’s attention to any infractions in the implementation of the budget.”
NAN reports that the event was witnessed by members of the state executive council, members of the House committee on appropriation, chieftains of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some political officeholders.