Ambode seeks re-ordering of budget

•Ambode

•House sets up committee

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has requested the House of Assembly to re-order the state’s budget.

The request was contained in a letter the governor sent to the Assembly which was read at plenary yesterday.

Titled: “Re-ordering of priorities under the 2

015 Budget”, the governor said the budget of N489.690 billion, which has been partially implemented by the last administration, had recorded 60 per cent overall performance as at June.

“This level of performance,” the governor said, “has made it imperative to go back to the drawing board to structure a more conscientious approach to tilt our total investment in the remaining months in order to meet the target capital/recurrent ratio of 51:49.”

According to Ambode, N23.97 billion will be re-ordered and of this  N18.278 billion is needed for capital projects, while N5.697 billion is for recurrent expenditure.

Reasons for the re-ordering, according to the letter, include construction of a pedestrian bridge at Ojodu Berger, construction of fly-over bridges at Ajah Roundabout and Pen Cinema, Agege.

The letter added that the budget re-ordering proposal would cater for the continuation of the construction of blue light rail project, continuation of the construction of the Lekki-Epe Expressway and acquisition of emergency/rescue helicopters and heavy duty equipment (cranes and forklift) and for Employment Trust Fund and Wealth Creation Programmes.

“It is worthy of note that we are constrained by the fact that there are no new revenue sources for the remaining months of the year, and as a result we would not be in a position to propose a supplementary budget. Hence, the recourse to a re-ordering of the budget,” the letter read.

After deliberating on the request, the House set up an adhoc committee to look into the request.

Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu 1) is the chairman. Other members are Desmond Elliot, Ibrahim Layode, Rasheed Makinde, Dayo Saka Fafunmi, Yinka Ogundimu and Alimi Kassim.

The committee is to submit its report on September 22.