Lagos Assembly Slashes State’s 2020 Budget To N920.5bn

The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a resolution to reduce the size of the state’s 2020 budget from N1.68 trillion to N920.5 billion due to the economic challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution was made following a voice vote conducted by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, during plenary in Ikeja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Clerk of the House, Azeez Sanni, had read a letter by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu requesting the reduction in the size of the budget on the floor by the House.

The Lagos State Government had recently disclosed plans to reorder the N1.168trn 2020 budget following current economic challenges as a result of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, said the reordering became necessary in view of the slump in oil price in the international market as well as the reduction in Internally Generated Revenue.

Obasa, at the plenary, directed that the House Joint Committees on Budget and Economic Planning and Finance reduce the budget size of the state for year 2020 from N1.68 trillion to N920.5 billion.

The speaker said the committees were to report back to the House within one week.

He said, “Based on the governor’s request, the House will work assiduously to review the budget to refocus, reorder and take into consideration the current challenges.

“We need to do this to give us the best chance of stimulating the economy and ensuring that the post-COVID-19 response economy will be strong and enduring.”

The House also paid tributes to a former member of the Senate, who represented Lagos Central Senatorial District, Muniru Muse, who died on Tuesday at 81.

Speaking on the demise of the politician, Ms. Mojisola Miranda, (Apapa Constituency 1), said that the Senator died in the early hours of Tuesday.

“Senator Muniru Muse was our leader in Lagos Central, Apapa in particular. He was a clerk in the Nigerian Port Authority and he later rose to become the Port Manager.

“He was the executive chairman of Apapa Local Government for two terms, and he later represented Lagos Central at the Senate for one term.

“I want us to observe a minute silence for him and write a letter of condolence to his family,” she said.

The requests were later granted as the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to write a condolence letter to the family of the deceased.

The House later adjourned sitting until Monday.

(NAN)