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Delta Assembly suspends 2022 budget defence for higher education over irregularities

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The Delta State House of Assembly on Monday suspended the 2022 budget defence on higher education due to irregularities in the documents.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Mr. Charles Emetulu, who addressed the lawmakers during the committee’s meeting on the 2022 budget in Asaba, said there were irregularities in the figures presented by the state’s Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, to the parliament.

He said the committee was not satisfied with the presentation, especially on the commissioner’s inability to renovate most of the library projects captured in the 2021 budget.

A member of the House, Oboro Preyor, expressed disappointment that the Bomadi major library, which was captured in the 2021 budget was not renovated.

He said the library roof and furniture were dilapidated, adding that the ministry omitted such projects from the 2022 budget.

In his reaction to the committee’s allegations, the commissioner, noted that the omission was not deliberate and promised to work on the budget proposal.

The committee chairman, therefore, asked him to go back and make the necessary corrections.

Also, the state Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, said the ministry was proposing the sum of N12.7 billion for the 2022 fiscal year.

READ ALSO: Delta Assembly passes 2021 supplementary budget of N66.38bn

Ezewu said that out of the figure, N5.3 billion was earmarked for the completion of ongoing projects.

She said the ministry is also budgeting N1.4 billion for intervention and securing of schools’ land as well as creating conducive learning environment.

Ezewu, who appealed to the committee for approval, noted that the 2022 budget would help the ministry to move the state’s education sector forward.

On his part, the Commissioner for Primary Education, Mr. Chika Ossai, told the committee that his ministry was proposing the sum of N5.9 billion for the 2022 fiscal year.

Ossai also appealed to the committee for prompt approval.

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