Benue assembly passes legislative fund management bill

Benue State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the Benue House of Assembly Funds Management Bill, 2021.

The bill was passed during plenary in a committee of the whole after its clause-by-clause consideration. Leading debate on the bill, Majority Leader, Mr Damian Cheme, said the bill first passed in 2019 did not make provisions for the consequences of failure to release funds to the assembly.

He said the bill provides that failure by the State Accountant-General to release funds for the assembly one week after the funds are due would henceforth amount to gross misconduct and liable to disciplinary measures.

He said the bill also makes provisions for the assembly to manage its capital and recurrent expenditures which will  be  paid by the Accountant-General into the assembly’s account in monthly installments.

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“Accountant General of the State is to furnish State Account Allocation Committee with the gross inflow from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and Internal Generated Revenue not later than seven days after FAAC meeting for the month.

“The bill provided for the establishment of Funds Central Management Committee, Social Intervention Project Committee and Evaluation Committee.

“The Clerk of the House is expected to prepare annual estimates after due consultation with relevant organs and committees for inclusion in the appropriation law of the state,” Cheme explained.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Christopher Adaji and Minority Leader, Mr Bem Mngutyo supported the bill and urged members to agree to its passage as it would benefit the legislature.

The bill was accordingly passed by voice vote.

Earlier, the Speaker, Titus Uba had invited the Clerk of the House, Mr Torese Agena, to read the bill for the third time before its passage.

Benue assembly passes legislative fund management bill