Uduaghan Urges Legislators Against Undue Tinkering With Budget
ABUJA, June 21, (THEWILL) - Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has urged legislators not to tinker with budgets presented by the executive arm without understanding the background that informed such budget proposals.
Uduaghan who gave the advice today in Abuja at the opening session of an induction course for members of the State House of Assembly, noted that tinkering with the budget unnecessarily often make the budget implementation impossible.
He advocated a re-work of the budget that would take into consideration the spirit behind such budget proposals to make it easy to implement.
“In trying to re-arrange the budget, let us arrange it in such a way that it is possible to execute the budget because sometimes when a budget is not executed it may be due to the way the budget came back from the House of Assembly,” the Governor stated.
He emphasized the need for the budgetary process to take the overall interest of the people into consideration adding that commissioners and legislators should always interface to ensure greater understanding before the budget is submitted to the House of Assembly for approval.
Governor Uduaghan advised the legislators to put their constituencies first by executing constituency’s project that would not just stand the test of time, but would meet the yearnings of their constituents
While appreciating the robust relationship between the executive and the legislators as well as the positive impact the trend had brought on the development of the state, the Governor assured that he would execute projects that would accelerate the pace of development of Delta State.
Besides, Governor Uduaghan advocated a longer period of service for legislators adding that the longer their stay in the legislature, the better as they count on their wealth of experience to attract development to their constituencies
The Senate President, Senator David Mark who was special guest of honour at the occasion expressed satisfaction with the training adding that adequate training was essential for the legislators in the making of laws
The Senate President who was represented by the Senator representing Cross Rivers Central, Senator Victor Ndoma – Egba, assured that the senate would partner the Delta State House of Assembly in the ongoing amendment of the nation’s constitution to make the constitution people- oriented
Senator Mark congratulated the fifth legislature on its inauguration as well as the Speaker Hon. Victor Ochei on his election as Speaker.
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly explained that the induction course was to position old and new members of the state legislature on the rudiments of performing their oversight functions
He reminded the legislators of the task of passing the State budget and the expectations of the people
Hon. Ochei commended Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan for cooperating with the legislature and appealed that the cooperation should be sustained.
In a paper on the “Nigerian Legislature, Reconnecting with the Public and the Challenges of Perception”, Senator Victor Ndoma – Egba decried members of the public perception of legislators and attributed the trend to what the public believed was fat salaries, flamboyant life styles of the legislators and years of military rule.
Senator Ndoma-Egba advised the legislators to regularly publish its’ expenditures and engage the media and civil societies, just as the public should take advantage of the Freedom of Information law to scrutinize activities of legislature.
He called on members of State House of Assemblies to embark on town hall meetings with their constituents and be an advocate public interest issues.
The Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly Hon. Basil Ganagana thanked one and all for the success of the induction course and pledged the cooperation of the legislature with the executive for the common good of the people.
The event was attended by members of the National Assembly from the State as well as former legislators including Hon. Funkekeme Solomon.