Ondo Assembly Suspends Supplementary Budget Approval Following Finance Commissioner’s Disregard

Ondo Assembly Suspends Supplementary Budget Approval Following Finance Commissioner’s DisregardThe Ondo State House of Assembly has suspended the legislative process for approving the 2024 supplementary budget due to the Finance Commissioner, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac, failing to attend a summoned meeting with the lawmakers.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Frustrated by the Commissioner’s disregard for their invitation, the lawmakers threatened to issue a bench warrant for her arrest. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had submitted a bill to amend the 2024 appropriation bill, proposing a total of N487.437 billion for the state’s consolidated revenue fund. This amount includes N246.198 billion allocated for recurrent expenditure and N241.239 billion designated for capital expenditure until the end of 2024.

The lawmakers insisted that the bill would not proceed to a second reading until the Finance Commissioner appeared before them. Minority Leader Olajide Oguntodu (Akure Constituency 1) expressed that his colleagues should reject the letter presented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, while Felix Afe, representing Akoko Northwest constituency, characterized the letter as an insult to the people of Ondo State.

“The letter did not specify the Commissioner’s whereabouts or when she would return. We need her to explain the budget’s performance for 2024. Without her appearance, we should halt the process. If she fails to attend again, we should issue a bench warrant against her,” Oguntodu stated.

Following this, the Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, ruled that the supplementary budget would be put on hold until the Commissioner appears to defend it. The Speaker also instructed the Assembly clerk to send another invitation for the Commissioner to appear on October 17, warning that failure to comply could result in further action.

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