By Austin Akanigha
Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and state PDP Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has commended Governor Okowa for the giant strides recorded by his administration in infrastructural and human capital development in the past seven and half years.
In his remarks at the year 2023 Budget Presentation by Okowa, the speaker said that the governor’s model entrepreneurship development programmes had rescued many youths and women from unemployment and underemployment.
According to him, “it is heartwarming to note that many of the beneficiaries have not only become wealth and job creators, they are also helping the state government to train new entrants into the programmes.
The speaker expressed gratitude to the governor for his uncommon leadership acumen, saying that Deltans were grateful to him for his foresight and initiative in putting together the flood response committee, headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah.
“Aside providing relief materials to the internally displaced persons through the committee, you strapped your boots and personally visited the camps to empathise with the flood victims. This is leading by example,” he stated.
He said that “today’s plenary is significant because as elected representatives of our people, we are assembled here this morning for theq presentation of the year 2023 Budget Estimates by the state governor.”
“Distinguished Colleagues, I have no doubt in my mind that the Budget Estimates that will be presented today will consolidate on the gains of the past seven years of this administration.
“The House will continue to cooperate with the Executive to deliver more development in road and physical infrastructures and human capital till the end of this administration in May 2023,” the speaker said.
The House, according to him, “will not shy away from approving government measures, and pass into laws developmental bills that will positively impact on the economy and the people.”
Rt.Hon Oborevwori assured the governor that after the receipt of the Budget Estimates, the House would hit the ground running on the consideration of the budget, adding that “I believe it will be passed timely to enable its implementation commence in January 2023.”
The Delta State PDP Governorship Candidate urged all heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the state government to buckle up for the defence of their budget proposals before the Standing Committees of the House.
He used the opportunity to once more congratulate the governor on behalf of members of the House on his nomination as the Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the conferment of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on him by President Mohammadu Buhari.
Governor Okowa in his budget address said that “I wish to announce that the projected Budget outlay for 2023 fiscal year is N561,820,596,524 (five hundred and qsixty-one billion, five hundred and ninety-six thousand, five hundred and twenty-four naira), showing an increase of 17 percent from the 2022 Budget.”
“Essentially, the goal of the 2023 Budget is to ensure that the gains of this administration are consolidated and expanded. Ongoing projects must be completed while new ones must come on stream.
“1Notwithstanding the persistently challenging external conditions, it is incumbent on the leadership to address the socio-economic needs of our people and ensure that their legitimate aspirations are realised.
“To successfully do that requires that we 1must be conscious of the decisions we make and guided by the obligation to carefully weigh every available option in the light of our fiscal realities vis-à-vis the demands of good governance,” the governor said.
“It is our reasonable expectation that the 2023 Budget will significantly address current structural challenges of the economy, improve the business environment, accelerate economic development, engender inclusivity, promote social harmony, and ensure seamless transition to a new administration,” he added.
