IMHA Committee On Works, Housing Inaugurated, As Nwaneri Thumbs Up For Uzodimma Over Articulated 2022 Fiscal Year Budget
Following the recently constituted standing committees of the Imo State House of Assembly by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Kennedy Ibeh, during Monday, December 20, 2021 plenary session, that of the Works and Housing have been inaugurated and swung into action immediately.
Inaugurating the Committee in his House of Assembly office on Tuesday, the Chairman, and Chief Whip of the House, who represents Oru East State Constituency, Hon Chigozie Nwaneri attributed Works and Housing as an important Committee given by what they represent in every Government.
He assured Imolites, and his constituents the best, in relation to effective oversight functions from his new found Committee of the House.
Nwaneri envisaged that both Ministries (Works/Housing) will perfectly function better than they were, especially with the efforts expected from the Commissioners messrs; Ralph Nwosu and Love Ineh, respectively.
He described the Commissioners as ardent believers of the Governor Hope Uzodimma’s 3R mantra, as such, would work in compliance to the mandate of effecting quality work and Housing for Ndi Imo.
The soft spoken Nwaneri added, not only that the Works and Housing Ministries would deliver jobs as mapped out in the proposed 2022 appropriation budget, but they would be adequately checkmated by his Committee for quality.
Similarly, the Oru East Lawmaker has commended the Governor for the successful budget presentation and the context of the appropriation Bill.
Nwaneri described the 2022 budget estimate as a grassroot budget, and indeed the People’s budget.
Speaking on the percentage allocated to Ministries of Works and Housing, Hon Nwaneri said it was favourable considering the Governor’s desires of tackling roads network in rural areas.
Chigozie Nwaneri recalled that before Uzodimma’s emergence, Imo had witnessed poorly executed roads construction, which the present Government has corrected by engaging best hands, hinged on quality.
“The budget presented by the Governor was key. I see it as a community development budget. Imo State had witnessed bad roads construction in the past, but currently, quality work is the trademark in the 3R mantra. That is what this Committee is out and ready to ensure its full compliance”.
“Before, it was an era of pot holes; roads destroy in barely six months after construction, but ever since Uzodimma came onboard, the difference is clear”, said Nwaneri.
He maintained that the contract agreement will be followed to the latter without looking behind.
Hence, Nwaneri assured Imolites of a better, human and infrastructural advancement in the year 2022.
The Committee comprise; Honorables; Paul Emeziem and Philip Ejiogu, with Mrs Helen Emere as the Clerk.
Latest Standing Committees Of The House
Having earlier announced few Standing Committees of the Imo State House of Assembly in previous sittings, Speaker Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh on Monday rolled out fresh list Committee Chairmen and members.
From the announcement, the following were allocated respective Committees for the purposes of oversight functions of Ministries, Agencies, Parastatals and MDAs.
For Committee on Business and House Rules, Ibeh said the Committee would assist his office in ensuring that major Legislative work like bills, motions, petitions, Reports to the House undergo due screening.
Chairman of the Committee is the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu. While the members are; Hon Kanayo Dele Onyemaechi, Hon Emeka Nduka, and Hon Philip Ejiogu.
Committee on Youths, Sports, Social Development, Skills, Entrepreneur has Rt Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu as Chairman, Honorables; Tochi Okereke and Solomon Anukam as members.
Lands and Urban Development: Hon Kanayo Dele Onyemaechi, Chairman. Members are; Honorables Michael Onyemaechi Njoku and Obinna Okwara.
The Public Utility and Safety Committee earlier announced by the Speaker was dissolved, and Hon Chidiebere Ogbunikpa enthroned as the Chairman. Honorables Philip Ejiogu and Dominic Ezerioha members.
For Public Accounts; Hon Michael Onyemaechi Njoku Chairman. Honorables Kanayo Onyemaechi and Johnson Iheonukara Duru members.
Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources has Hon Dominic Ezerioha as Chairman. Members are; Honorables Ngozi Obiefule and Emeka Nduka.
Judiciary and ADR: Hon Frank Ugboma, Chairman. Honorables Obinna Okwara and Arthur Egwim, members.
Science and Technology: Hon Anyadike Nwosu, Chairman, Hon Philip Ejiogu and Hon Michael Onyemaechi Njoku, members.
For House Committee on Health, Rt. Hon Chiji Collins, Chairman. Honorables Paschal Okolie and Uju Onwudiwe members.
House Committee on Works and Housing has Hon Chigozie Nwaneri as Chairman, and Rt. Hon Paul Emeziem and Hon Philip Ejiogu members.
Finance: Hon Uche Ogbuagu, Chairman, with Honorables Chiji Collins and Frank Ugboma as members.
Environment, ENTRACO and Sanitation: Hon Sam Otuibe heads the Committee, with Honorables Solomon Otuibe and Anyadike Nwosu as members.
House Committee on Civil Service: Rt Hon Obinna Okwara Chairman. Honorables Tochi Okereke and Ngozi Obiefule, members.
However, the Speaker enjoined the Lawmakers to be agile and work assiduously towards ensuring a proper oversight functions, for the purposes of delivering quality jobs and services for the State.
Yuletide Season:
Imo House of Assembly Prohibits Hoarding Of Goods, Price Hike In Commodity
Apparently concerned with the welfare of Imolites, the Imo State House of Assembly has placed a ban on hoarding of essential commodities and price hike across the State.
The prohibition also covers exorbitant pricing in consumable goods and products anywhere in the State.
This followed a resolution moved by the Lawmakers during the week.
Leading the debate, the mover of the motion and member for Ideato North State Constituency, Rt. Hon Arthur Egwim stated that as a Lawmaker representing a rural area, he feels the pulse of their heartbeat.
He narrated that from his investigation and complaints, people go to their neighbouring town of Uga in Anambra State and buy commodity like garri and tubers of yam, at a low cost, only to come and re-sell at their markets (Orie Akokwa, others) at a very high price.
He decried the act of inhumanity market men and women carry out on each other, all in the name of making higher gains.
Egwim said, “Our people are heartless towards one another. They inflict pains on each other and when asked now, they will blame it on Buhari”.
In the motion he enthused,
“Whereas the good people of Imo State and settlers alike now suffer excruciating pains due to the present day high inflationary trends, a situation which has caused the prices of goods and services to go beyond the reach of the common man;
“Granted that the present untoward economic situation is not peculiar to the State, but also affects other parts of the nation, even the world at large, as a result of high exchange rates at Forex market, among other problems;
“Obvious that most unpatriotic and greedy businessmen and women in the State now capitalize on the present bad situation to add salt to the injury, by engaging in arbitrary price hike, hoarding and other evil economic activities for the purpose of profiteering to the disadvantage of the masses;
“Very much aware and optimistic too, that the State, ably piloted by our performing Governor, has the capacity to save the situation and the good people of the State from the present circumstances, by utilizing the appropriate MDAs to prevent hoarding price hike and other forms of economic sabotage, by ensuring supply
and distribution of essential commodities at government regulated costs”.
Hon Ngozi Obiefule of Isu State Constituency added that the inflation is not only on consumable goods, but also on the price of Premium Spirit, PMS, in Imo State.
She gave an insight that when one travels to other States, petrol prices are cheaper than what it’s obtained in Imo State.
She averred that there is need to sanitize the system and regulate the prices.
Hon Johnson Iheonukara Duru was of the view that there is a great need to checkmate and stabilize the price control system in Imo.
Other Lawmakers; Honorables; Kanayo Dele Onyemaechi, Paschal Okolie, Uche Ogbuagu, Emeka Nduka, Herclus Okoro argued that both the CPC, Imo State and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry have a lot of work to do towards alleviating the suffering of Ndi Imo.
The price of commuters in conveying the market people with their goods was also raised during the debate.
They also had reservations with the enforcement, hence prayed that the Government swings into action through the resolution of the House.
After the debate, the House presided by Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh resolved to urge the Governor to direct the Chairman, Consumers Protection Council (CPC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Transport to arrange an interface with the officials of the Marketing Associations in the State on the need to discourage traders from hoarding goods and arbitrary price hike, so as to alleviate the economic problems of the good people of Imo State and settlers.
2022 Budget Passes second Reading
Imo State House of Assembly Bill number 99; A Bill for a Law to appropriate the sum of #365,719,700,576 (Three
Hundred and Sixty Five Billion, Seven Hundred and Nineteen Million,
Seven Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred and Seven Six Naira) to the services of the Government of Imo State of Nigeria for the year ending on Thirty-First day of December, Two Thousand and Twenty Two, 2022, and for other related purposes. This excludes the Consolidated Revenue
Fund Charges of #15,743,247,101 (Fifteen Billion, Seven Hundred and
Forty Three Million, Two Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, One
Hundred and One Naira), hence a total Budget of #381,462,947,677
Three Hundred and Eighty One Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Two
Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and
Seventy Seven Naira) has scaled the second reading at the State Legislature.
Recall that the first reading was marked as the official presentation of the budget estimate on the floor of the House last week Friday, by the Governor, Hope Uzodimma.
In his debate, the Majority Leader, Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi declared that the House owes the State support for every policy or program that would uplift the standard of living.
Onyemaechi said, most of the projects captured in the 2021 budget that were not completed would be duly rectified and done in the next year’s budget, so presented.
The Owerri West member opined that as rightly addressed “People’s budget” by the Governor, it was truly the people’s budget, which would carter for the need of the people, especially the rural communities.
Hon Dele said, “The budget is well captured. It will address the issue of insecurity, health, education, works, poor road construction, among others. As Lawmakers, we will always support the good policies of the Government”.
He therefore sent message of hope to Ndi Imo to be hopeful as 2022 will be shared prosperity and bumper harvest.
The Speaker fixed December 21 and 22, 2021, respectively for Committee of the Whole House.
Assembly Vibes monitored that as at Tuesday, respective Ministries, Agencies, MDAs and Parastatals were at the Assembly complex for the budget defence as it affects their areas.
The appropriation Bill however, would be passed before end of this week after meeting up to the Legislative processes and scrutiny.
