Lagos 2019 budget: Blame Assembly not Ambode for delay in presentation – Commissioner
Moshood Adebayo/Chinelo Obogo
Lagos State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Olusegun Banjo, has blamed the state House of Assembly for the delay in the state government presentation of the 2019 budget.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has been lampooned in some quarters for his inability to keep the tradition of the state government in presenting the annual budget before the end of the year.
But Banjo said the budget was already before the House of Assembly and was expected to have been read before the legislative house on the eve of Christmas.
The commissioner said the size of the 2019 budget proposal forwarded by the governor was N852.317billion.
In a statement, Banjo said: “Ambode sent verbal information (on his intention) to present the budget on Monday, December 24, 2018 after the State Executive Council approval on December 19, 2018, but the ceremony was postponed as the House was on recess and thereby could not form a quorum.”
He said in order to perform the traditional presentation, a formal letter was sent to the House on Friday, December 28, 2018, forwarding the contents of the budget.
“It is expected that when the House reconvenes, the Speaker would inform members of the content of the budget proposal sent by the governor and take necessary action,” the commissioner said.