Rep raises alarm over inadequate budget for river basin

The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Pally Iriase, has  raised an alarm over inadequate budgetary provision for the Benin-Owena River Basin Authority (BORBDA) in the 2017 budget estimates. Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Iriase said details of the budget proposal showed that the recurrent proposal for the basin is N30.6 million, […]

The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Pally Iriase, has  raised an alarm over inadequate budgetary provision for the Benin-Owena River Basin Authority (BORBDA) in the 2017 budget estimates.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Iriase said details of the budget proposal showed that the recurrent proposal for the basin is N30.6 million, while the capital component is N755 million, describing the amount as paltry.

The lawmaker, who represents Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State, said the river basin authority serves four states and that its activities are too enormous for it to be allocated such amount.

He said for the federal government’s efforts at diversifying the country’s economy through agriculture to succeed, it must take a second look at the allocation given to the river basin authority with a view to reviewing it upward since the budget process is still on.