Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Executive Council has approved the transmission of a draft supplementary budget for the House of Assembly, seeking a downward review of the 2020 budget to align with the current realities of the economic conditions of the state, and the country as a whole.
The council gave the approval during its first virtual meeting on Wednesday.
The virtual meeting was in accordance with Governor Kayode Fayemi’s directive that all citizens must comply with the social distancing precautions as stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to curtail the spread of COVID-19 disease ravaging the world.
The meeting was held with Governor Fayemi as the chairman and other members of the executive council in attendance via video conferencing.
Memoranda were tabled and discussed, and the usual modus operandi of the executive council meetings were followed, save for the physical presence of the members.
According to the governor, subsequent executive meetings will be held virtually, until assurance is given that the threat of the COVID-19 scourge is defeated.
Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, who briefed the council on the adjustments required to be made, assured the members that the state workforce salary would not be affected, and status quo will be maintained in that regard.
Also approved was the Public Finance Management Bill presented by the finance commissioner, a requirement for the government to ensure a better performance under the Federal Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Plan, and the World Bank’s state fiscal transparency accountability and sustainability programme.