The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the N16 billion Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) appropriation bill for 2024.

The appropriation bill sent to the House of Assembly by the state governor, Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, allocated N3 billion for recurrent expenditure and N13 billion for the capital expenditure for the year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Clerk of the House of Assembly, Mr Benjamin Jayeola, presented the bill for third reading before its passage by the lawmakers.

Mr Oluwatoyin Allen, APC/Ese-Odo, who submitted a joint report of the House Committee on OSOPADEC and Committee on Finance and Appropriation, said that inputs of stakeholders were included in the report.

Allen, who is the Chairman of the House’s Committee on OSOPADEC, said the report asked OSOPADEC to give accelerated attention to the ongoing projects in its mandate areas.

The committee, he said, tasked the commission not to rely solely on the 40 per cent from the 13 per cent oil derivation fund, but should be more creative and collaborate with local and international organisations in order to realise its mandate.

According to Allen, the reports also recommends that the commission should as a matter of urgency carry out a critical assessment of all vehicles in its pool with a view to auction unserviceable ones.

He added that there was need for the commission to train and retrain its staff for optimal performance to enhance higher productivity.

Allen read the reporting urging the House of the Assembly to approve the appropriation bill.

The Acting Majority Leader, Mr Moyinolorun Ogunmolasuyi,APC/Ondo West 1, moved the motion for the bill to be approved and Mr Tope Agbolu PDP / Akoko South West 2 supported the motion.

Speaking on the bill, Chief Olamide Oladiji, the Speaker of the House of the Assembly, said that the bill when assented by the governor would facilitate the growth and development of the state.

Oladiji added that the bill would in no doubt address the sea incursion affecting the economic activities and lives of people of the oil producing areas.

According to him, the implementation of the budget will enhance infrastructure and strengthen the security architecture in the state.

He urged the board and management of OSOPADEC to strictly implement the budget when signed into law by the state governor for the overall interest of people of the mandate area.

The speaker commended the state governor for initiating policies and programmes to enhance the welfare of people of the state.

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