Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, yesterday signed the revised 2016 Appropriation Bill of N70.5 billion into law.
The governor said the move was to further entrench the culture of transparency and accountability in the state’s budgetary spending.
The revised budgetary provision as passed by the State House of Assembly, was jacked up from N67 billion to N70.5 billion to accommodate the ongoing dualisation of Ado-Ikere road and other contingency projects.
Governor Fayose told journalists after assenting to the bill that he decided to seek the input of the assembly after the airport project earlier budgeted for in the 2016 budget was expunged from the state’s fiscal policy.
According to him, “What we budgeted for in the 2016 budget was a sum of N67 billion and now it has been jacked up to N70 billion.
“We intended to build an airport in the budgetary estimate earlier prepared , but the court judgement filed by land owners stalled it and we intend to introduce new projects which we have to accommodate in our budgetary spending.
“When things like this happen, we have to tell the Assembly and review the situation. The revised budget will take care of the new Ado-Ikere dual carriage way project , the flyover and other emergency projects we are currently undertaking.
“But this does not in any way pose any threat or disturb the original budget. In financial policy, the law must be followed to prevent diversion and leakages in the system.”
Present at the signing were: Hon Oluwawole, Deputy Speaker, Hon Segun Adewumi , Chief of Staff, Mr. Dipo Anisulowo and other members of the State House of Assembly.
