The Imo State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Statistics has been applauded for her approach, commitment and transparency during the 2020 Budget review exercise aimed at giving Ndi Imo a workable and realistic Budget which commenced on Thursday, May 21st, 2020, as directed by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the Executive Governor who insisted that the state 2020 Budget should be reviewed 30% downward.
Some Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) gave the commendation while answering questions from journalists shortly after they had successfully undertaken the bilateral discussions with the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Statistics.
Those who spoke expressed happiness with the way such herculean task was handled with simplicity without rancor and confusion associated with such exercise in the past. They commended the Commissioner for Budget & Economic Planning, Hon Engr C.C Osuala (Ph.D) for his high intellectualism, experience and commitment to duties, describing his appointment as that of a round peg in a round hole.
They equally commended the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Rev Reginald Udeh, as well as the State Director of Budget, Pastor Victor Okereke and other staff in the Budget office for their steadfastness.
Speaking exclusively to our reporter, Commissioner Osuala who is also the Coordinating Commissioner for the State Economy said that his Ministry is working round the clock to ensure that the year 2020 reviewed Budget, is ready in order to meet the World Bank targets and guidelines on Budget revision.
“You can see, the staff of my Ministry are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that this 2020 Budget revision is concluded before the end of the week for an onward submission to Imo State House of Assembly for legislative review and then the Governor’s assent to make it a law for the state, as a result of the targeted period, we all at the Ministry of Budget worked during the two day public holidays. I sincerely commend all my staff for their patriotism. I must also appreciate in a special way the Permanent Secretary Rev Reginald Udeh, the Director of Budget, Pastor Victor Okereke for their unrelenting efforts towards ensuring that we achieved the desired result”.
DrOsuala, an American trained Engineer and Economist and former member of the Federal House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, however revealed that the Budget review when completely done. State would stand to gain $1 million as grant from World Bank. He thanked the Chief Executives of various Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals who came for the bilateral discussions for observing the rule of the game which he said made job the little easier for them at the Ministry of Budget and Planning.
