Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf has asked the state Ministry of Budget and Planing to ensure it eliminate what he described as copy and paste in next year’s budget.
The speaker stated this while inaugurating members of the House Standing Committee on Appropriation and Budget Monitoring at the speakers’ lodge Lokoja.
He said the issue of copy and paste should be eliminated as there was need to ensure that the people and government of Kogi State state get value for the monies expended by the government.
Alhaji Yusuf urged the committee to be alive to it’s responsibilities of oversight function.
Chairman of the committee and member representing MopaMuro at the Assembly, Jacob Sam Olawumi said the committee would bring in professionalism into the legislative business of overnighting the executive.
He said the committee would curb the excesses of cut and paste practice in yearly budgetary provision and ensure that the people of the state feel the impact of the budget.
A member of the committee Akus Lawal representing Ankpa one at the eight Assembly said the committee would work hand in hand with the ministry to meet the yearnings of the citizens.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Planing, Asiru Idris Asiwaju who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Olajide Samuel pledged the support of the Ministry to the committee to carrying out it’s legislative assignment.
He explained that the issue of cut and paste was because yearly budgets have a life span and projects exceeding a year completion period must continue to reflect on the budget document as government make provisions for them.
