Bayelsa earmarks 2014 budget for uncompleted projects

The Bayelsa State Government has said that its 2014 budget was designed to complete ongoing projects in the State.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Deacon Markson Fefegha, stated that this strategy was in line with the State's commitment to fast-tracking the pace of infrastructural development.

Fefegha, while briefing newsmen with his Budget and Economic Planning as well as Finance counterparts shortly after the 29th session of the State executive council meeting in Yenagoa, said it was the resolve of the administration to complete every project initiated by it before the expiration of its tenure of office.

The Information and Orientation Commissioner disclosed that, Council deliberated extensively on the appropriation bill tagged 'Budget of Completion' with inputs made by the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), adding that the budget estimates would soon be sent to the State House of Assembly for consideration and eventual passage into law.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Duate Iyabi explained that the State budget for the next fiscal year had been designed to accommodate sufficient funds to complete ongoing projects.

'As indicated earlier, this is indeed a budget of completion. And as we have stated in the past, this administration has no desire to leave uncompleted projects behind whenever it leaves office. As you know, we met quite a few projects that were not completed, and so we started the completion process of those projects and in this budget we have set aside monies to make sure that we complete most of the projects that are ongoing.'

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Chief Ambrose Alfred noted that the executive was working assiduously to see that the budget gets to the State legislature early enough for consideration as required by the fiscal responsibility law.

He said, 'The budget was presented to the State Executive Council and it was fully deliberated on and at the end of the day, the Council approved it, and in line with normal practice, the budget will now be forwarded to the State House of Assembly for consideration. We hope to do that maybe next week because in line with the fiscal responsibility law we are time-bound to present the budget within specific time-frame.'