.. As House of Assembly Expects Appropriation Bill
By Onyekachi Eze
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma would be presenting the 2025 appropriation bill to the Imo State House of Assembly any moment from now.
This was even as Imo people have been earnestly waiting for the yearly ritual to happen.
Budget presentation is a Constitutional practice expected of the President and State Governors to present before the National Assembly and the State Legislature, respectively, before end of each fiscal year.
This newspaper gathered that some States have already done this.
For Imo State, since the year 2024 is coming to an end with barely two weeks left to wrap it up, the governor is yet to do the needful.
Political pundits and analysts have considered the delay inappropriate given that after the budget presentation next is budget defense by Government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals.
The process takes over one week to conclude before its second and third reading in the House of Assembly plenary session for eventual passage into law.
However, grapevine sources have disclosed that the Imo State Governor would be coming in no distant time for the proposal.
Already, preparations are in top gear at the Assembly Complex to welcome the number one citizen of the State.
The tastefully furnished Imo Assembly complex will be witnessing crowd across the State, especially Political Chieftains, and appointees who would be in the governor’s entourage for the mandatory ritual.
In a related development, Imolites have drawn the Governor’s attention to include People’s welfare in the 2025 budget, citing the current economic hardship as a must priority every State Government should address head-on in the 2025 fiscal year.
