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Governor Alex Otti’s request for a virement totalling ₦22.2 billion for government services has been approved by the Abia State House of Assembly, The Eastern Updates can confirm.
This came following the consideration of the governor’s letter presented by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Austin Mmeregini, at the plenary in Umuahia on Tuesday.
The House Majority Leader, Uchenna Kalu, had in a motion called on the lawmakers to consider the request.
He said the request was necessitated by the present administration’s desire to rebuild the state and improve the citizens’ welfare.
Read Also: Otti Suspends Driver In His Convoy For Hitting Motorcyclist
Kalu said: ‘This bill is straightforward and seeks to vire money from the expenditure sub-heads, where they were not properly captured to the areas where they will be properly utilised and needed without actually increasing the budget.
‘We are all aware that the present administration merged some ministries when it came on board, so it is proper for the state to vire funds from some of the ministries to the areas where they are needed in order to ensure the optimal utilisation of the funds.
‘I urge my honorable colleagues to support this bill to enable the present administration to continue to deliver democracy dividend to the people.’
The Deputy Speaker, who presided over the plenary, put the motion to vote and it was unanimously accepted by the lawmakers.
The Eastern Updates had earlier reported that Governor Otti had suspended one of his convoy drivers, Onyebuchi Steven, who drove a Toyota Hilux pick-up that hit a motorcyclist and his passenger at Ohafia over the weekend.
The governor, who promised to pay the victims’ medical fees, also ordered an investigation into the incident to show that he was at fault.
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to governor, Kazie Uko, who confirmed the development to The Eastern Updates reports said the state Health Commissioner, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, first administered first aid to the victims before they were taken to an Ohafia hospital, and thereafter transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia, the state capital.
