House Committee Urges Ministry To Spread Project Across All LGAs

House Committee Urges Ministry To Spread Project Across All LGAs

House committee urges ministry to spread project across all LGAs

The Delta State Ministry of Urban Renewal has been advised to ensure geographical spread of its projects across the 25 local government areas of the state.

The State House of Assembly Committee on Urban Renewal gave the advice on Saturday in Asaba when the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Chief Arthur Akpowhowho, appeared before the members to defend the 2022 budget of the ministry.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Oboro Preyor, and member of the Committee noted that the concentration of projects in some areas while none was executed in certain local government areas.

He expressed concern that even the areas which did not benefit from 2021 projects were not even captured in the 2022 budget.

Preyor stressed the need to correct the imbalance to reflect the oneness and unity of the people.

”As representatives of the various constituencies, such development cannot be taken for granted,” he said.

He, therefore, charged the Commissioner and his team to ensure that the issue and other issues raised were addressed.

The lawmakers also directed the commissioner to forward the list of projects awarded by the ministry in 2021 to the committee.

Earlier, the Commissioner told the committee that the ministry recorded 33 per cent budget performance in 2021.

Akpowhowho said that the Ministry was proposing the sum of N5.2 billion for the 2022 fiscal year, adding that priority would be given to the completion of ongoing projects while some new projects would be introduced.

He assured the committee that the issues raised would be given the deserved attention, noting that the intervention funds captured in the budget would be spread out and utilized.

The Commissioner commended the Chairman and members of the Committee for their support and appealed for sustained collaboration.