Edo Lawmakers Consider Supplementary Budget … Despite Workers Strike

In spite of the industrial action embarked on by workers of the Edo State House of Assembly, the lawmakers sat on Tuesday and deliberated on the N21.3 billion supplementary budget.

Our correspondent reports that last Monday, the assembly workers locked out the legislators to protest their exclusion from the N18,000 minimum wage approved for Edo workers.

The supplementary budget, which the governor submitted on July 28, is to be expended on erosion projects and other socio-economic challenges.

Mr Foly Ogedengbe, representing Owan East, said that of the supplementary budget, recurrent expenditure would gulp N11.1 billion while N10.2 billion was allocated to capital expenditure.

Deputy Speaker Festus Ebea and other lawmakers who contributed during the second reading, noted that the economic well-being of the people would  be boosted if the budget was implemented.

The Speaker, Mr Uyi Igbe, who presided over the plenary, directed that copies of the budget be made available to members.

He noted that the erosion and flood problems in the state needed urgent attention, and committed the budget to the committee on finance and appropriation for scrutiny, while this  year’s budget presented to the assembly by Gov. Adams Oshiomhole was N112.7 billion.