Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Delta State Government on Monday began the defense of their 2024 budget proposals before the Standing Committees of the State House of Assembly.
Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Samuel Oligida, Youths Development, Isaac Agbateyiniro, and the Director General, Delta State Capital Development Agency, Chief Patrick Ukah, were among the first set of officials of the state government that appeared before the Lawmakers for the budget defense sessions.
The House Committee on Delta State Capital Development Agency, led by Hon Benson Obire, representing Warri South 2 Constituency, at its session with officials of the Agency, tasked the Director General, Chief Patrick Ukah to enhance infrastructural development and beautification of the State Capital Territory.
Obire lauded the initiative of the Agency in enhancing the aesthetics of the Capital Territory and enjoined it to ensure increased linkage of roads within its coverage areas.
“DG, I want to particularly thank you for your proposed plans for DSCTDA in the 2024 fiscal year. We will partner with you to ensure that that vision is actualized.
“You should begin to work out plans to ensure improved linkage of roads within the Capita Territory. Asaba as it were has no reason to experience bad roads”, Hon. Obire said.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Agency, Chief Patrick Ukah informed the Committee that the Agency was proposing a capital expenditure of N8 Billion for the 2024 fiscal year as it was poised to enhance development in the Capital City.
Chief Ukah said the sum of N6bn would be expended on the rehabilitation of roads in the Territory, just as he hinted that about N1.8bn was being proposed for the construction of new roads in Asaba.
The Director General, who is the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, said plans were in the offing to ensure that Asaba attained its pride of place as the state capital.
Appearing before Hon Collins Egbetamah-led Committee on Trade and Investment, the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Sam Oligida said N5.2bn was proposed for the Ministry in the 2024 fiscal year.
Giving a breakdown of the proposed allocation, Oligida disclosed that the sum of N2.8bn was earmarked for the commercial sector, N2.2bn for industrial sector, administrative sector N116.5m and N10m for the cooperatives in the capital budget estimate.
The Commissioner told the Lawmakers that with the proposed budget, the Ministry intended to ensure that all ongoing projects under its supervision were completed in the 2024 fiscal year, just as it also planned to initiate some new ones.
He pledged the commitment of the Ministry to facilitating actualization of the MORE agenda of the state government by ensuring rapid industrial and commercial growth of the State.
On the 2023 budget performance, the Commissioner said, “As at November 30, the amount received for execution of capital projects in the Ministry of Trade and Investment was about N1.1bn, representing 27.4 percent budget performance.
“However, the overall budget performance of the Ministry in the year 2023 so far (including the agro industrial park, ogwashi-uku, and Ogheye floating market with a total release of about N1.3bn) is 30 percent” Oligida said.
The Chairman of the Committee, Collins Egbetamah, who represents Udu Constituency, pledged robust synergy with the Ministry towards making remarkable achievements in the sector by the state government.
Commissioner for Youth Development, Comrade Issac Agbateyiniro, led the officials of the Ministry to defend its budget proposal before the Assembly Committee on Youth and Sports Development, chaired by Hon Emmanuel Sinebe, representing Patani constituency.
Agbateyiniro disclosed that the Ministry had proposed the sum of N1.9bn for capital and non regular overhead, stating that the Ministry intended to increase its youth engagement programmes, including establishments of Youth Development Centers and Graduate Entrepreneurship Employment Scheme, as well as beef up security at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Isselu-Uku in Aniocha North local government area.
Continuing, he said, “It is my appeal that serious consideration be given to the proposed budget to enable the Ministry achieve its objectives in the year 2024 because the future of our state is in the hands of the youths, hence priority attention should be given to their needs”.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon Emmanuel Sinibe, commended the Ministry for its track record of meaningful engagement of the youths and other development initiatives and called for sustained synergy between the Ministry and the House Committee.
In a related development, the Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Youth and Sports Development has expressed displeasure over increasing neglect on sport facilities in the state, by the Delta State Sports Commission.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon Emmanuel Sinibe, made the remark when officials of the Commission appeared before the Committee for the defense of the 2024 budget.
Hon Sinebe said the current state of some of the state-owned township stadia, particularly those in Warri, Koko, Asaba, among others, was not encouraging, even with the huge budgetary allocations in the previous years.
Unhappy with the development, the Lawmaker said the Committee was now ready to put the Commission on its toes by ensuring regular oversight of the activities of the Commission.
He said, “There is no need hiding the truth, this Committee is not happy with you because, you are not doing well.
“We want to see a change for the better in the Commission. Our relationship with you is not cordial.
“In the year 2024, we are going to scale up our oversight function because the relationship between the Committee and the Commission is not cordial. Prepare for us, we are coming. Just go back and pray”, Hon. Sinibe said.
The Director-General of the Commission, Mr. Christopher Anazie who led members of the Commission on the budget defense exercise said the Commission was working assiduously to ensure sustainable development in the state sports sector.
Mr. Anazie, while giving a detailed breakdown of the Commission’s 2024 budget proposal, hinted that efforts were in top gear to ensure that the state maintains its leading position in sports.
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