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The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole yesterday signed the
state’s 2011 budget of N112.7 billion into law.

Promising a commitment to even distribution of amenities in the
state, Mr Oshiomhole while signing the 2011 budget said, that “the challenge
for the executive branch for which you have oversight function is to ensure
that both the spirit and letter of this budget are truly translated.”

According to a statement signed by Peter Okhiria, the chief Press Secretary
to the Edo State Governor, he stated that “Mr Oshiomole assures the good people
of Edo State that this budget, essentially designed to ensure that we complete
the projects that we have started and where possible, we initiate new ones.
With this instrument in place, I have no doubt in my mind that a number of
projects would be completed.”

He commended the state House of Assembly’s Speaker and members for the
timely passage of the bill, stating that “since my assumption of office, this
is the first time that we are concluding and signing the budget into law within
the first month of the year. It has not happened before. In my first year in
office, the budget was passed towards the end of April and by that time, the
rains had started and this had clear implications for capital projects.”

“That under your leadership for the first time the House was able to pass
the budget within January and complete all formalities for the budget to be
signed into law by the end of January, I believe Mr Speaker, you have made
history.”

Presenting the bill earlier, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly,
Bright Omokhodion said the timely passage of the bill was to facilitate the
smooth implementation of government policies and programmes.