The Delta State’s appropriation bill of N479 billion for the 2022 fiscal year was, on Thursday, assented to by the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
The governor also signed five other bills, including Delta State House of Assembly Service Establishment Bill 2021, Delta State Registration of Community Development Associations Bill 2021, Delta State Debt Management Bill 2021, Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Bill 2021 and Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, 2021.
While signing the bill into law, Okowa assured Deltans that the state would strive to implement capital projects embedded in the 2022 budget as well as complete all ongoing projects before the end of his tenure.
He commended the state house of assembly for the speedy passage of the bill, adding that assenting to the bill before the end of December would avail the state government of the opportunity to further plan towards its implementation from January 2022.
The governor expressed hope that there would be a turnaround in 2022, assuring that “we will be able to execute the capital projects that are contained in our budget, both the new ones and the ongoing ones before the end of our tenure.”
On the State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, Okowa said that the law would enable the government to tackle erosion and flooding issues in the state head-on.
“We are very much aware that there is a lot of devastation in the ecosystem in some parts of our state. This is following through with the advice that was given to us by the World Bank.
“We can now actually focus more on dealing with flood and erosion challenges across the state.”
On the Asaba specialist hospital bill, the governor said that the law was very key to the effective management of the hospital to enhance universal health coverage in the state.
“This law is very important to us because we have decided that there is a need to have a separate law governing the establishment of this hospital.
“And, I can attest to the fact that there is a lot of decency and commitment in the management of the hospital.
“There’s obviously a public-private partnership in the management of the hospital and I know that it has been helping our people a lot.”
Okowa said Delta State Debt Management Law seeks to regulate and manage the state’s borrowing and debt portfolio in line with international best practices, explaining that “It seeks to establish the Debt Management Department in the Ministry of Finance.”
Presenting the bills, the Speaker of the house, Chief Sherrif Oborevwori, said with the timely presentation of the appropriation bill, 2022 and its subsequent passage by the House, the State was on a good start for the year 2022.