Lagos Assembly Silent On 2019 Budget

By Lukman Amusa

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday resumed plenary without deliberations on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s 2019 budget proposal.

The premier newspaper reports that the lawmakers commenced a three-week recess on December 18, 2018, for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The House which resumed, on Monday, failed to discuss any issue before adjourning to Thursday, January 10, due to its inability to form a quorum.

The session was presided over by the Majority Leader, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu Constituency I.

Premier gathered   that the Lagos State Government on January 3 said it had already presented to the house an N852. 317 billion budget proposal for 2019.

The government had been criticised for not keeping to its tradition of presenting its annual budget before the beginning of a new year.

But, in a statement on January 3, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Olusegun Banjo, explained that the 2019 budget was already before the State House of Assembly and was intended to be read on December 24, 2018.

Banjo said that Ambode had also sent a verbal message on his intention to present the budget on December 24, 2018, after the State Executive Council had approved it on December 19, 2018

“But the ceremony was postponed as the House was on recess and could not form a quorum,” Banjo said.

He explained that in order to meet the traditional presentation, a formal letter was also sent to the House on December 28, 2018, forwarding the contents of the budget.

“It is expected that when the House reconvenes, the Speaker would inform members of the budget proposal sent by the governor and take the necessary action,” Banjo added.

Meanwhile,the premier  reports that when the house resumed plenary on Monday, it only sat to adjourn.

Mr Moshood Oshun, the Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts (State), moved the motion for an adjournment while Mr Segun Olulade, representing Epe II seconded the motion.