The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has restated the commitment of the state legislature to the delivering of dividends of democracy to the people of the state through robust budgeting.
Rt Hon Oborevwori stated this in his remarks at the opening ceremony of a two-day technical session on the Delta State 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and Financial Strategy Paper, FSP, for members of the Delta State House of Assembly.
Rt Hon Oborevwori said the House is always driven by passion and desire to joining hands with the state Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, in the growth and development of all sectors of the state economy.
The objectives of the technical session according to the Speaker, is “to provide a platform for members of the House to extensively review the State’s 2022-2024 MTEF-FSP and deepen their understanding of the developmental priorities of the current administration within the period under review”.
He added that the programme is also to equip Standing Committees of the House with the required information, tools and recommendations to effectively engage and interrogate the details of the proposed 2022 Budget of MDAs before passage by the House.
“I count it as a duty to welcome you to this 2-Day Technical Workshop on the Delta State 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)/ Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP). Preparatory to the presentation of the 2022 Budget by His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, this Technical Workshop for Honorable Members could not have come at a better time”.
“Members will recall that the MTEF/FSP was received and approved by the House on 11th August, 2021. And it is instructive for us not only to approve it but also to have a working knowledge of the macroeconomic framework that was applied in preparing the FSP. Accordingly, the importance of this 2-Day program cannot be overemphasized”, Oborevwori stated.
The Speaker, urged members to see the Workshop as another opportunity to work as a team towards the stronger Delta of the Okowa’s administration.
The Clerk of the House, Mrs Lyna Ocholor, while welcoming the state legislators, said the workshop is geared towards providing a learning curve for the first timers and as a refresher course for the ranking members of the House as they look into the budget process and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework / Fiscal Strategy Paper as it concerns Delta state.
She explained “the MTEF/FSP is a three-year rolling expenditure plan that spells out the medium-term expenditure priorities and provides the basis for the preparation of the annual budget of the State. We have brought experts to share experiences and to shade light on the topics as a mechanism for effective service delivery to our people”.
“We have with us John Mutu, a friend of the Legislature, Mr Nasiru Mohammed Saidu and Alhaji Abubakar Bungudu from the National Assembly budget and Research Office, NABRO which is an initiative of the Nigerian legislature to support its work in its engagements with Executive institutions,” Mrs Ocholor stated.
The Clerk while thanking the leadership of the House for taking the initiative to organize the workshop before the presentation of the 2022 budget, expressed belief that at the end of the program Members will be ready to engage MDAs and other stakeholders in critically examining the budget estimates as it relates to the MDAs they oversight.
