Speaking after a robust debate on the general principles of the proposed budget, the Deputy Speaker Elder Mathew Okedare who presided over the session praised members for the thorough debate on the Appropriation bill and directed the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation to ensure that the State Commissioners for Finance, Economic Planning and Special Adviser on Investment were part of further considerations on the budget estimate to ensure the passage of a realistic budget for the State?.

Elder Okedare who referred the Appropriation Bill to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative process and directed the Committee to submit report to the House within 2 weeks.

He then directed the Clerk to the House Mr Simon Okedare to read the bill for the second time.

The Deputy Chief Whip of the House Mrs Ebun Owolabi had while making her submission expressed delight that the budget focuses on consolidation of what had been achieved and emphasised the need to have realistic budget to achieve stability and accelerated development of the State.

She however expressed concern over the huge sum of money that would serve a loan repayment.

Members While contributing emphasised the need for the State government to focus more on non oil revenue by exploring the state's agricultural potentials to diversify the State's economy.

They also noted that the current economic reality in the country made it imperative for the State Government to give priority to the state's agrarian sector for the overall development of the State.

They urged the legislators to allocate more funds to Ecology, Environment, Energy, Works and Transport to further enhance the wellbeing of the people of the State.

They however emphasised the need for the House to ensure consistent oversight function to ensure that the budget achieved its intended purposes.

The leader of the House Alhaji Hassan Oyeleke then urged relevant Committees to ensure that projects which have bearing to the respective constituencies and their constituents in the state were included in the budget to further improve on the wellbeing of the people of the State.