The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly passed the state’s N586.88 billion Appropriation Bill for 2022 on Friday.

The passed budget, which includes N261.96 billion in recurrent spending and N324.91 billion in capital spending, represents a N4.77 billion increase above the initial budget size.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Governor Udom Emmanuel presented a total budget of N582.12 billion to the House of Representatives on October 25.

“Budget of Re-Defining Standards” was the name given to the budget.

Mr. Uduak Odudoh, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriations, had previously stated that the committee had taken a participatory approach to the financial process.

Ministry Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and other relevant publics, according to Odudoh, were invited to the budget public hearing.

He said the house authorized a N1.81 billion recurring expenditure increase and a N2.95 billion capital expenditure increase, bringing the total to N1.81 billion.

The house authorized a N1.81 billion recurrent expenditure increase and a N2.95 billion capital expenditure increase, bringing the total increase to N4.77 billion, he added.

The house had suggested that the state government ensure the fast and proportionate release of money to MDAs for project and program execution, he said.

Most MDAs had complained of zero releases in the fiscal year 2021, according to the committee chairman.

In his remarks, Speaker Aniekan Bassey praised the House Committee on Finance and Appropriations for its speedy budget negotiations.

Bassey stated that the 7th Assembly would maintain a strong and influential relationship with other branches of government to promote development and growth in the state.

He praised the MDAs that testified before the committee during budget defense, noting that the main goal was to give priority to issues that were of immediate concern to the people of Akwa Ibom.

The speaker stated that if the budget is passed, the budget implementation will begin on January 1, 2022.

He instructed Mrs. Mandu Umoren, the Clerk of the House, to transmit a clean copy of the bill to the governor for his signature.