*Angry at Accountant-General’s inability to present 2022 audited Accounts
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Rivers State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, frowned the inability of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to represent the 2024 Budget and State’s Medium Scale Framework at its legislative sitting today at their Port Harcourt-Aba road residential area.
The House also unanimously resolved to write to the governor in the that regards.
Recall could be made that the Governor had earlier presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill which was passed into law by former factional Speaker Edison Ehie and Lawmakers and signed into law Governor Fubara.
The House also frowned and called for the Investigation be carried by Committee on Public Accounts at the delay by the Accountant-General to present the 2022 Audited Public Accounts to the House.
The House also deliberated on the First Reading to a Bill which seeks to amend the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Law No. 4 of 2015.
In a press statement by Martin Wachukwu, a media Aide to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule said while presenting the Bill sponsored by the Majority Leader, who is also the Member representing Akuku Toru Constituency I, Hon. Hon Major Jack averred that the Bill seeks to amend some sections of the Principal Law, and when passed, will make the Traditional Rulers law be in tune with current realities.
In the same vein, the House gave First Reading to a Bill which seeks to repeal the Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State-owned Property (Prohibition) Law No.7 of 2022. The Bill was sponsored and presented by the Member representing Port Harcourt Constituency II, Hon Tonye Smart Adoki.
Speaking on the Order of the Day, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chike Martin Amaewhule , cited relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, that empowered the State House of Assembly to receive Report of the audited account of the State, and therefore urged the House Committee on Public Accounts to investigate why the Auditor-General of the State has not submitted the 2022 audited account of the State to the House.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Major Jack had requested the House to give the Committee more time to enable the Committee do further inquiry and consultation before submitting its Report. The committee has been given three weeks to submit its Report to the House.
Commenting further, Rt. Hon. Amaewhule hinted that the Rivers State House Assembly is yet to receive the State’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the 2024 Appropriation Bill; and when put to vote, the House unanimously agreed to write to the Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, to notify him of the delay in presenting the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the 1999 Constitution as amended.