Osun assembly rejects Osun Parks’ N89m 2017 budget
NAN-H-109
Budget
By Victor Adeoti
Osogbo, Feb. 1, 2017 (NAN) The Osun House of Assembly on Wednesday rejected Osun Parks and Gardens Management Agency’s 2017 budget of N89 million on grounds that the agency was not backed by law.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the assembly disallowed representatives of the agency from presenting and defending the fiscal estimate.
Mr Kamil Oyedele, Chairman of the house’s Committee on Finance and Appropriation, said since the agency was not recognised by any law of the state, its budget could not be considered.
Oyedele advised the organisation to merge its budget with appropriate agency created by the law, saying that the assembly had not received any bill suggesting the establishment of the agency.
“As at now, the agency is not known to the law of the state.
“The agency is not created by the law and its budget cannot be taken.
“We, therefore, advise the agency to merge its budget with appropriate agency created by the law pending the time they will receive notification of law backing them from the executive.
“In line with this, their budget for 2017 is cancelled,” he said.
On the N1 billion budget proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Sanitation and Physical Planning, Oyedele urged the ministry to look inward and intensify efforts on internally generated revenue.
He emphasised the need for the ministry to be proactive and ensure effective environmental management to save residents from hazards.
On his part, Mr Ajibola Akinloye, Chairman of the Committee on Environment, urged the ministry to be proactive in the discharge of its duties.
In his remarks, Mr Wale Ojo, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, said that they were working hard to harmonise revenue charges with the state’s Internal Revenue Service.
Ojo maintained that the ministry would leave no stone unturned to ensure that it increased its internal revenue at this period of recession. (NAN)
VE/MNA/OPI
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu and Olisa Ifeajika