Delta 2014 Appropriation Bill Ready February - Speaker

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, December 24, (THEWILL) - An assurance has been given that the 2014 Appropriation Bill for Delta State currently before the State House of Assembly would be ready by February 2014. Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei, gave the assurance weekend in Asaba, the state capital, while chatting  with newsmen. He assured on the speedy passage of the Bill to ensure that the governor assent to it in good time. Few weeks ago, the state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan,had  presented a N391.51billion to the State  Assembly to enable the administration continue its streak of effective service delivery to the people of the state. Presenting the proposed budget tagged 'Budget of Consolidation, Sustainable Economic Growth and Development', Uduaghan had pleaded  for the acceleration for the passage of the Bill to enable government continued its developmental strides in the State. Ochei said  the Assembly  had directed its Finance and Appropriation Committee to continue sitting to  ensure that the Bill is passed on time, in spite of the yuletide holidays and the adjournment of the plenary . He said that this was informed by the Assembly's tradition of being proactive in respect of its responsibilities and obligations as a law-making body. Ochei, who also gave a  graphic detail of how the Assembly would achieve the feat, said  the Committee had been given up to January 28 to report to the Assembly  about the Bill. He said thereafter,  the Bill would be considered at the Committee of supply (whole House), adding, 'I am sure that by February, the Bill will be ready for assent (by the Governor). ' The Speaker said that accelerated consideration was being accorded the Bill to enablle the state government continue its effective service delißvery to Deltans. He  said the reduction of the 2014 Appropriation Bill at N391bn, compared to the N472bn for the 2013 fiscal year, was an appropriate response by an administration that had suffered the pangs of a needless shortfall in envisaged revenue for that year. The Speaker said although he's not part of the executive arm of government that draw up the Bill, the administration was guided by sheer economic wisdom in respect of its 2012 revenue projections and budget plan outlay. He however noted that the Uduaghan-led government had performed well in the administration of its budget, given the resource inflows available to it. Meanwhile, the Speaker has underlined the critical importance of state police formations. He said that if the nation's security architecture is to significantly improve in potency, there must be an effective augmentative force to complement the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Ochei said the country's security situation might not improve in the light of strident challenges to it by elements of the underworld. He said it was evident from what is happening in the country that NPF cannot effectively secure life and property in the country, "hence there was the need for state police formations to augment its efforts". The Speaker noted that the state governments are critical stakeholder in the security situation in the country, hence they contribute as much as the Federal Government in the funding of the NPF. "It was unfair for critics of state police formations to hold that state police formations would be abused by state governors, " he said, adding that if the Federal Government was not being accused of the abuse and misuse of the NPF which is being well funded by state governments, it would be unfair to use the fear of abuse to stall the prospect of state police formations, in spite of their huge potential benefits. Ochei cited  the cases  in other countries, including America, where federal and state police formations work together, saying  Nigeria's case should not be an exception.