The Ondo House of Assembly held a public hearing on Tuesday on the state’s 2024 supplementary budget of N92 billion.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State recently forwarded a bill for a supplementary budget of N92 billion to the legislative.

The supplementary budget of N92 billion would increase the 2024 budget from the initial N395 billion to N487 billion.

Mr Aiyedatiwa had anchored his request for a supplementary budget on the effects of petrol subsidy removal and to enable implementation of the N73,000 minimum wage recently announced for the state’s workforce.

The ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) appeared before the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Akure to explain in detail additional budget costs for their respective establishments.

The assembly speaker, Olamide Oladiji, said the exercise was a norm to shed light on some areas, urging the MDAs to comply with the committee’s invitation to ensure timely completion of the hearing.

According to Mr Oladiji, the new minimum wage and many other items have been captured in the supplementary appropriation to move the state forward.

Also, the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation chairman, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, explained that the supplementary bill was very important to enable the state to tackle current economic realities.

Mr Ogunmolasuyi said that implementing the new minimum wage and other activities would be difficult without an additional budget.

The committee chairman, also the majority leader of the House, said even though the MDAs had discussed the additional wage bill at the treasury level, it was important for the committee to properly scrutinise such cost in the supplementary budget.

Speaking to journalists, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, Sunday Akinwalere, said the amended appropriation, if passed, would allow the ministry to provide potable water to residents of the state.

Mr Akinwalere noted that work on the provision of potable water had been concluded in the state’s Central Senatorial District, promising that other senatorial districts would be attended soon.

The House of Assembly adjourned the plenary to Wednesday.

(NAN)