FROM THE ASSEMBLY: AKS Budget Defense 2021

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Williams Akpabio - AKHA (Aide), Uyo.

AKS Budget Defense 2021

DAY 5

... MDA's interface with the Appropriation and Finance committee, excerpts:



Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Okpulupm Etteh just concluded defending year 2021 budgetary estimate of the Ministry.



Prof Eno Ibanga Commissioner for Works & Fire Service

"Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo Local Government Areas have not enjoyed a meter of road in the past five years."

"I don't want to sound sentimental, but I represent the good people of Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo local governments so I want you to throw more light on the condition of the roads in Eastern Obolo local government currently being handled by Nigerpet Structures Ltd".

-- Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh, Chairman, Finance and Appropriation addressing Prof. Eno Ibanga, Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, during 2021 Budget Defense at Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly.

Responding, Prof. Ibanga said that on the failed road portion in Eastern Obolo, the precastings has been moved to the site. Moreso, that work is ongoing on the Okoroete/Elile/Amadaka/Kampa because drains can rarely be constructed in rainy season".


Dr. (Mrs) Glory Edet, Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Sufficiency

 "Let me appreciate Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly through, the Committee on Agriculture for frequent interface with the mother Ministry to ascertain level of projects implementation by the Ministry."

No one can survive without food and one of the completion agenda of Governnor Udom is to make food available.

Responding on quality and price of rice in the state, to conform Wii the resolution of the State Executive Council to reduce the cost of food items in the state, the Dean of Commissioners  assured the committee that the state government has produced rice at affordable price.

That 50kg Agricon Rice is sold at (N23,000.00) Twenty-Three Thousand Naira, and (N11,500.00) Eleven Thousand Five Hundred Naira for 25kg at No. 210 Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo for confirmation call Mr  Aniekan on 0803519193.

Responding about onions, the Hon. Commissioner confirmed that Akwa Ibom Soil is fertile for cultivation of Onions.

"In terms of onions, we did a trial cultivation in the green house because people were thinking  that onions cannot grow on our soil and the yield was impressive". 

"We have planted new ones, and we are transplanting this week, because onions thrive in dry season"

Similarly, the Agric helmsman said that the reports she got from Garri Association was that they shared days of marketing the products, and that was the main reason for the scarcity of garri but all that issues have been taken care of by her ministry.

About Coconut Plantation, the Commissioner said when she took over in the ministry, shee moved into that farm and discovered that the soil is highly acidic and they applied the right type of fertilizer and other manure and that field workers there and are really working. She assured the committee that by next year the coconut will start fruiting.

"In Ikot obudom we have about 15

Hectars of coconut plantation,

We are also cultivating coconut massively in Ekeya okobo.

"Our Coconut plantation is making progress, by next year some of them will start fruiting".

"Also, we have a place in Ekeya Okobo that we are cultivating massively".

"Equally, in Ikot Okudom, we are captivating about 15 hectares of coconut plantation".


Similarly, Commissioner Edet added that the interest free loan which the governnor gave passed through The Agric Loans Board and it was done successfully.

Mr. Michael Ekpenyong,  Akwa Ibom State Liaison Officer, Lagos.

Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh, Chairman House Committee on Appropriations and Finance urges the Liason Officer" to Keep an eye on Akwa Ibom Properties in Lagos".


The issue of unaccounted Funds from Government commercialized properties in Lagos was raised by the Liaison Officer, Mr. Michael Ekpenyong which according to him the Office should oversee such properties but the reverse is the situation.


Reacting, the Member representing Nsit Atai, Rt. Hon. Mark Esset expressed concern over untracked commercial properties of the State Government in Lagos raised by the Liaison Officer while briefing the Committee on Finance and Appropriation during its budget defence. 


Hear him, "This is a sensitive issue and needs to be trashed out. When the Commissioner of Housing came here, he made it clear that he is putting machinery on motion to handle Government properties in the state and will be out of place if the Ministry does not handle maintenance of such properties in Lagos."


"There is need for interface between the Committee and the Ministry of Housing as it concerns Government properties in Lagos." - Rt. Hon. Mark Esset reacting during budget defence exercise of Akwa Ibom Liaison Office, Lagos.



Chairman, Akwa Ibom Property and Investment Company (APICO), Barr. Patrick Udomfang

"When I assumed office, I introduced cashless policy of revenue collection and this initiative has improved the Internally Generated Revenue of the Parastatal".

In conclusion, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriations and Finance chaired by Rt Hon Uduak Odudoh (member representing Ikot Abasi /Eastern Obolo state constituency) has said that Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA'S) of government who fails to appear before the Committee to defend its budget will have self to blame while facing any penalty, hence those are yet to appear are advised to do so in their own interest. 


The chairman of the committee, Rt Hon Uduak Odudoh said this at the end of today's defense in which 10 MDA's took part. 


"No head of MDA'S is bigger than the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly especially in this very important exercise like budget defense. 

If at the end of the day such MDA'S fail to catch into the window provided by the Committee, we will invoke the relevant section of the law and the Standing Order to also ensure that they face the consequences. 


The Committee will not tolerate a situation where any MDA fails without excuse to honour the invitation of the budget defense". 


Meanwhile the 10 MDA'S that appeared before the Appropriations and Finance Committee today to defend their budget includes

*Ministry of Justice 

*Ministry of Special Duties 

*Ministry of Works and Fire Service 

*Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sufficiency 

*Agency for Adults and Non Formal Education 

*Pension 

*Ministry of Lands and Water Resources 

*Lagos Liaison Office 

*APICO 

*Ministry of Labour and Productivity 


The budget defense continues tomorrow Friday 20th November, 2020.




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