The Edo State House of Assembly has approved a supplementary budget, raising the state’s 2024 fiscal year budget to N409,217,894,248.87 billion. This decision comes just five months after Governor Godwin Obaseki signed the initial appropriation bill of N342.825 billion into law on December 22, 2023, which was already an increase from the N321.4 billion originally presented.
The adjustment follows a request from Governor Obaseki for a budget revision, which the lawmakers endorsed to support the completion of his eight-year administration. The supplementary budget includes provisions for the recently approved N70,000 minimum wage for state workers and aims to ensure the completion of ongoing projects.
Charity Aiguobarueghian, the Majority Leader, moved the motion for the supplementary budget, emphasizing the need for legislative backing to implement the new minimum wage and finish ongoing projects. Other lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker Maria Edeko (PDP), Minority Leader Eric Okaka (APC), Eigbiremonlen Fada Sunday (PDP, Esan Central), and Ugabi Kingsley Oghenakhogie (APC, Etsako East), supported the motion, highlighting its importance in avoiding abandoned projects.
In the revised budget, recurrent expenditure is set at N182,446,255,325.16 billion, and capital expenditure at N226,771,634,923.71 billion. This marks an increase from the previously approved amounts of N154,276,225,868.96 billion for recurrent and N188,549,744,040.26 billion for capital expenditures.
Speaker Blessing Agbebaku concluded the deliberations, announcing that a clean copy of the approved budget will be sent to Governor Obaseki for his assent.
