Kogi: Assembly approves N58.8 bn supplementary budget

By Christiana Ekpa

The Kogi State House of Assembly has approved a supplementary budget of N58.8 billion for the year 2024.
It would be recalled that the current eighth Assembly in December 2023, passed into law the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N258.2billion.
In a letter sent to the house on Friday, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo appealed to the lawmakers to approve the supplementary budget to attract more investments to the state.
The House in a committee of the whole considered the supplementary budget clause by clause before it was approved.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Umar Yusuf stated that the approval of the supplementary budget will give the executive the opportunity to finance the various agencies approved by the house.
“With the approval of this budget, the various agencies established by the government such as the anti-corruption agency, electricity and many more will be properly financed for the benefit of our people. For the anti-corruption law, we are going to do internal cleansing in fighting corruption. The Government of Kogi State means well for the people.
“Let it be on record that the supplementary budget will open the State for investors. The upgrading of the airport in Zariagi is indeed very historic by this administration. We want to commend the State Government under Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for these bold steps” he said. Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the youth leader said investigating an ‘honest and hardworking’ person like Kwankwaso will only amount to a waste of time.
Musa pointed out that the action was instigated by some political rivals to tarnish Kwankwaso’s image.
He said: “I challenge EFCC to come up with facts on the allegations; otherwise, we consider it an attempt to witch-hunt and victimise him.
“Why did the EFCC wait this long to investigate him, nine years after leaving office and also why investigate party affairs?
“Go to Kano and see what he did as governor, check his records as a Defence Minister and a Senator.”
Musa urged EFCC to disregard any petition written against Kwankwaso by any politician or any associate. The declaration was made by the newly appointed Director General of the Space and Research Agency , Dr Olumide Mathew Adepoju during screening exercise of his appointment by the Senate Committee on Innovation , Science and Technology .
Dr Adepoju at the Screening appointment screening exercise , however lamented non patronage of Home grown technology in the country by relevant authorities and Nigerians .
He told the committee chaired by Senator Aminu Iya Abbas ( PDP Adamawa Central) , that the Geo – Stationary Satellite if embraced by all stakeholders in the maritime sector , will fill in the gap for the needed Maritime Domain Awareness for all manner of planned crimes and possibility of nipping them in the bud.
“ For us at NASRDA, we are ready to collaborate and synergize with critical stakeholders in the maritime sector on the need to curb all manner of crimes in the sector.
“ The most important thing device to use is Geo – Stationary Satellite , which would help to give the required Maritime Domain Awareness for the various key players through synthetical factor reading .“ For effective use of the Geo – Stationary Satellite , cooperation and synergy are already being worked on between us and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA), Nigerian Communication Satellite System ( NigComSat) , National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) etc “, he said .
He however lamented that homegrown technologies put forward through innovations and inventions , are seldomly patronized by relevant authorities and Nigerians .
“ We have inbuilt capacity at NASRDA but the culture of not patronizing ourselves in Nigeria , make results from such capacities , uncelebrated .
“ We can work together with the security agencies through our home grown solution which is not patronize .
“ Aside that , the problem of acute shortage of office space for about 70 % of NASRDA staff , is also inhibiting them from giving their best because out of 5, 200 staff , less than 30% has office space “, he lamented .
In his remarks , the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aminu Iya Abbas , told the nominee , that when confirmed by the Senate as substantive Director General of NASRDA, he should make the Space Center , a Centre of Excellence .
“ Go for talent hunting because we have not seen much in the area of human development . Develop in – house capacity . Pay attention to staff development “, he said.