Imo assembly passes N65bn supplementary budget

The Imo House of Assembly yesterday passed a supplementary budget of N65 billion for the year 2022.

The passage followed a bill presented by the Majority Leader, Mr Kanayo Onyemaechi (APC, Owerri West), at the plenary.

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Onyemaechi said the supplementary budget was necessary to help fight the rising insecurity in the state and to boost infrastructural development.

Supporting the bill, Mr Chigozie Nwaneri (APC, Oru East) said there was a need to arrest the security situation in the state, particularly, in the Orlu zone.

Nwaneri stressed that the state government needed every help it could get to tackle the issue satisfactorily.

Also speaking, the Njaba representative, Mrs Uju Onwudiwe (APC), noted that her constituency had been the worst hit by the security crisis in the state.

Onwudiwe, however, commended the state government in its efforts toward ending the security crisis in the state and called for the bill to be approved.

The bill which was read for the first and second time was also considered by the committee of the whole and passed.

The Speaker, Kennedy Ibeh (APC Obowo), directed the Clerk, Mrs Chinelo Emeghara, to ensure the bill is sent to the governor for assent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Governor Hope Uzodinma had earlier signed a budget of N381.4 billion for the year.

A bill for the establishment of the Imo State Data Centre was also granted accelerated passage in addition to a bill for a law to amend the Imo Lands Administration and Geographic Information Service establishment law.

Both laws were also sent to the governor for assent following their passage.

The Speaker during the plenary session also called for a minute of silence in honour of Mr Okechukwu Okoye, the legislator who was abducted and killed in Anambra state.

Okoye was the representative of the Aguata state constituency at the Anambra House of Assembly. (NAN)