Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has assented to the revised Abia State 2020 budget of N102 billion, recently passed into law by the House of Assembly.
Speaking after signing the budget at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Umuahia, Governor Ikpeazu thanked the legislators for the expeditious passage of the revised budget .
He said Abia, like other states across the federation, is facing economic stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the present economic reality calls for all hands to be on deck in securing the socio-economic future of the state.
The governor further highlighted some of the measures taken by his administration to mitigate the economic effect of the pandemic with emphasis on improvements in agriculture and industrial production.
Governor Ikpeazu also commended the Seventh Assembly for being partners in progress with the executive, noting that such healthy relationship accounts for why Abia is still the most peaceful and politically stable state in Nigeria.
Earlier, Speaker Chinedum Orji thanked God for the divine healing of Governor Ikpeazu and prayed God to keep upholding him in the course of governance.
The speaker, who also presented three other bills passed by the House to the governor, informed the governor that the Seventh Assembly will be embarking on a short recess and restated the commitment of the House to keep providing the legislative leverage upon which the state will continue to advance
Deputy Governor, Ude Oko Chukwu, Secretary to the State Government, Chris Ezem, Chief of Staff to the governor, ACB Agbazuere and Executive Secretary the state Planning Commission, Nnenna Chikezie, were present at the event.