Enugu State House of Assembly passed the revised 2020 budget of over N146 billion.
The passage, on Wednesday, followed the clause by clause consideration of the revised budget during plenary in Enugu on Tuesday.
In his submission, the Leader of the House, Mr. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, said revising the budget had become necessary considering the negative impact of COVID-19 on the state and country at large.
Ezeugwu argued that the economic projections made in January had been ridiculed by the outbreak of the pandemic.
According to him, the only viable option left for the Enugu state government was to cut down its budget estimates.
The Leader disclosed that the recurrent expenditure was increased from N68 billion to N69 billion while capital expenditure was reduced from N100 billion to N76.5 billion.
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While hinting that the state government would be responsive to the realities of the time, he maintained that funds would be re-channeled from non-essential to essential items, especially in the health sector.
Also contributing, the member representing Ezeagu constituency, Mr Chima Obieze, emphasised the need for the state government to invest massively in health facilities across the state.
The lawmaker noted that many prominent persons would not have died of COVID-19, if the nation had invested in the health sector.
Obieze noted that the virus had really provided an opportunity for states to look inward.
In his contribution, the deputy speaker of the House, Uche Ugwu, who presided over the plenary, applauded his colleagues for their contributions which led to the passage of the revised budget.
Ugwu charged the state government to ensure full implementation of the budget.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state assembly had earlier passed a budget of N169.6 billion for the 2020 services of the state.
