The Committee on Finance and Appropriation of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has announced plans to engage with all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state to assess the execution status of the 2023 budget.
During a briefing with Assembly Correspondents on Thursday, Committee Chairman Dr. Itoro Etim, accompanied by fellow committee members, emphasized that understanding the implementation of the 2023 budget was crucial for considering the 2024 fiscal estimates recently presented by the governor.
Dr. Etim assured thorough legislative scrutiny of the budget, underlining the commitment to expeditious approval to facilitate the state’s development in alignment with the Arise Agenda of the government. She also sought the cooperation and support of Heads of MDAs during the upcoming budget defense sessions and oversight visits to project sites by lawmakers.
“We would like to know how the previous budget fared, how it was implemented, and, of course, we will submit our report to the House. From there, the next stage will be the passage of the budget, and it would thereafter be forwarded to the Executive for assent,” she stated.
Elder Emmanuel Ebong, the Press Secretary to the Speaker, speaking on behalf of the Assembly Press Corps, expressed readiness for effective media coverage of the lawmakers’ activities during the budget defense sessions. He advocated for regular media interface with legislators to enhance positive image projection. The upcoming engagement with MDAs is poised to provide transparency and accountability in the budgetary process, fostering efficient governance in Akwa Ibom State.
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