The recurring decimal of 'no releases ' continued to play out in majority of Ministries and MDAs in the ongoing Budget Defense organized by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, a situation which has affected their performance in delivering on their mandates.
While defending the 2025 budget estimates before the Houe Committee yesterday, the Chairman of the State Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr. Martins Akpan informed the Hon. Itorobong Etim led Committee that tthey were unable to renovate any Health Centre during the 2024 fiscal year because there were absolutely no releases from the Executive. Dr. Akpan stated that the Agency has proposed to renovate only 6 health Centers for 2025 hopefully if they get funds from the Executive adding that though it was okay to add more health centers to the ones already on ground, maintaining the already existing ones was equally a priority.
Mr. Sylvanus Udo who represented the Akwa Ibom Road Maintenance Agency on their part, stated that they were unable to carry out any road maintenance as they were not funded for that purpose. He informed the Committee that the various road rehabilitations around the State were not carried out by them adding that though some of their machines were vandalized, they have been able to fix twelve of them and are positioned ready to work with the availability of funds,
Taking their turn to defend their 2025 estimates, Akwa Ibom State Investment Corporation, AKICORP who were led by Mr. Imoabasi Isaiah informed the Committee that Anchor Insurance was the only company out of the rest that paid dividends to the State in the last five years adding that though Champion Breweries didn't pay dividends, they only gave bonus shares. According to Mr. Jacob, Peacock Paints which is now known as Ibom Paint Company has been taken over by Government assuring the Committee, that going forward, consolidated accounts of government investment would be published.
Engr. Ephraim Udoh while defending the 2025 budget of the Ministry of Special Duties informed the committee that the ministry will complete 13 inherited projects in 20225 while the MRO will come live before June next year
The Chairman of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, Hon. IItorobong Etim in her remark, stated that the Budget Defense process was aimed at giving MDAs the platform to highlight as well as justify their estimates. She tasked those who had issues of augmentation needs to put them into writing to aid the Committee make such adjustments if necessary, during their mark-up sessions.
Also appearing before the Committee were, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Works, Office of the Surveyor General, Labour and Manpower Planning, Civil Service, Water Resources and Sanitation and Ministry of Trade and Investment.
The Defense continues today
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