Cross River assembly passes N296.96bn ‘People First’ budget

The Cross River house of assembly has passed the state’s 2024 appropriation bill of N296.96 billion.

On October 26, Bassey Otu, governor of the state, presented a bill of N250.6 billion to the assembly for consideration and approval.

However, the Cross River assembly on Thursday passed a bill in the sum of N296.96 billion — up by N46.4 billion–  for the year 2024.

Titled: ‘’The People’s First Budget’, Cyril Omini, chairman of the committee on finance and appropriation in the Cross River assembly, commended Otu for adhering to the provision of the state public finance management law.

Omini said the law provides that the governor shall not later than the last working day of the month of October of each year, lay the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure of the state for the new financial year, before the assembly.

Elvert Ayambem, speaker of the Cross River assembly, expressed appreciation to the members of the finance and appropriation committee and other lawmakers following the passage of the bill.

The committee had earlier invited various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for defence of their budgets.