By Chidi Nkwopara – Owerri
Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha has signed the 2020 budget of N197.6 Billion and five other Bills, into Law.
The short but impressive ceremony was held at the Expanded Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Owerri.
Speaking shortly after signing the bills into Law, the Governor said the 2020 appropriation bill was professionally and painstakingly prepared.
“The 2020 appropriation bill is the flagship of the bills I have signed into Law today (last Friday). This appropriation bill was professionally and painstakingly prepared”, Ihedioha said.
According to the Governor, having signed up to the Open Government Partnership, his administration has a few pre-requisites to follow.
“For instance, the process was participatory and so involved constituents and civil society, even before we presented it to the Assembly. It was also transparent, as we have made the documents available to the public from the onset”, the Governor said.
While expressing delight that the Appropriation Bill was signed before the start of the traditional budget year in January 2020,
Ihedioha noted that “it is no mean feat, considering that the 2019 Appropriation Bill was signed into Law at the end of May of that 2019, hours before he was sworn into office as Governor”.
His words: “By this, the fiscal year may now commence as envisaged on the 1st of January, 2020.
“I am not oblivious of the fact that this is in the middle of our Christmas festivities and so a social sacrifice for some. But suffice it to say that this is the spirit of the new Imo.
“As a parliamentarian, I see today as the faithful culmination of any legislative process. The accent is an action that seals the success of the process and procedure determined by the constitution”.
The Governor commended the 9th Assembly for what he described as “diligent and passionate attention to the legislative needs of the people”, stressing that the 9th Assembly, under the leadership of Hon. Chiji Collins has lived up to expectation.
“They have worked with us to give prompt, diligent and passionate attention to the legislative needs of the people of Imo. They have constituted themselves into veritable partners in the Rebuild Imo project”, Ihedioha said.
Continuing, the Governor said: “As an administration, we have had a total of 18 bills passed into Law under our watch, including few of them by the 8th Assembly. 18 bills in six months are no mean feat. Of these 18 bills, 12 have previously been signed into Law, including the 2019 Supplementary (Re-ordered) Appropriation Bill, which was recently signed.
Vanguard recalls that the Bills signed by the governor include: Imo State Water Bill, Imo State Pools betting, Gaming, Casino and Lotteries Board Bill, Environmental Transformation Commission (Amendment) Bill, Law Reform Committee (Amendment) Bill, Imo State Power and Rural Electrification (Amendment) Bill and Imo State 2020 Appropriation Bill.
Other Bills previously passed by the Assembly and signed by the Governor include; Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, Imo State Sports Commission Law, Imo State Power and Electrification Agency Law, Imo State Market Development Law, Imo State Signage and Advertising Agency Law and Imo State Facilities Management Agency.
The rest are Public Procurement (Amendment) Law, Imo State Electoral (Amendment) Law, Universal Basic Education (Amendment) Law, Hotel Occupancy and Consumption Law and Imo State Employment Trust Fund Law.