Delta Assembly suspends budget defence for higher education over irregularities

The Delta House of Assembly Committee on Education has suspended the budget defence deliberations on higher education due to irregularities in the budget documents.

Chairman of the Committee, Mr Charles Emetulu, said there were irregularities in the figures presented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, while presenting the 2022 budget of the ministry.

Emetulu expressed the dissatisfaction during the 2022 budget defence meeting with the Commissioner on Monday in Asaba.

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

Mr Oboro Preyor, (PDP- Bomadi) expressed disappointment that the Bomadi major library, which was captured in the 2021 budget was not renovated.

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

The commissioner, while reacting to the committee’s allegations, 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.

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

According to her, 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 education sector in the state 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.

Responding, the committee chairman assured the ministries of the committee’s support in developing the education sector in the state.