The Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs on Saturday defended their 2024 appropriation before the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Speaking during the budget defence, the Chairman, House Committee on Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs Hon. Yusuf Zakari Eneve disclosed that the Assembly is not out to witch hunt anyone but to ensure the best for the people of Kogi State.
Eneve expressed the committee preparedness towards ensuring that, the government policies and programs in the various Local Government are followed to conclusion by constant monitoring.
He called on the general public to always intimate themselves with the legislative functions, adding that, it is unique in a democratic governance empowered by the constitution to oversee the activities of the government and safeguard public finances.
According to him, ” Legislature is representing the interest of the citizenry by receiving, scrutinizing and to approve the budget presented to it by the executive arm of the government for thorough scrutiny and analysis by the kogi state House of Assembly . ‘
“The aims and objectives of our scrutiny is to ensure proper allocation of the State scarce resources particularly this period that the nation is being faced with precarious economic challenges resulting from the removal of the fuel subsidy, to discourage incidences of poor performances in the economy, and not to witch-hunt anybody.
“It is therefore, pertinent to note that the responsibility of this committee is not only to know the details of your estimates and verify same, but to ask question if need be as to know how previous 2023 budget was handled properly or otherwise.
“As you all know, that 2024 budget is projected on fairness, sincerity and frank assessment of the amount the state could generate on its own and in addition to what it will receive from the Federation Account Allocation and other sundry sources, this committee must verify the budget to ascertain the level of compliance that could cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal which is the beauty of democracy evident in the freedom of the public to know the activities of the government on daily basis”.
Lending his voice, a member of the committee Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin representing Ajaokuta State Constituency admonished the agency to work on their revenue drive in Kogi State.