ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State House of Assembly has pledged to deliver a practical and impact-focused budget for the 2025 fiscal year, tailored to meet the developmental goals of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration.
The assurance was given by the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, during the opening session of a four-day retreat for the review of the Delta State Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) 2025–2027, held at the Assembly Headquarters.
Speaker Guwor noted the Assembly’s renewed commitment to passing a budget that responds to pressing state issues and aligns with the aspirations of the Delta people. Highlighting the administration’s “MORE Agenda”—a blueprint for comprehensive development—he stated that the House is determined to translate these goals into concrete outcomes through the legislative process.
“This retreat, themed ‘Review of the Delta State Fiscal Strategy Paper 2025–2027,’ reflects the strategic intent of the 8th Assembly to partner effectively with the Executive to realise the MORE Agenda,” Guwor remarked. He credited Governor Oborevwori for launching the Assembly’s Legislative Agenda, emphasising that this retreat is a collaborative effort aimed at creating people-focused legislation.
Describing the retreat as pivotal, the Speaker expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity for lawmakers to engage closely with the drafters of the FSP. “It is a partial fulfilment of our vision to establish a pre-budget dialogue with the Executive, ensuring that the budget aligns with the state’s strategic priorities,” he said.
The Speaker further encouraged Assembly members to leverage this review process to ensure that the final budget reflects well-targeted resource allocations across key sectors. “Our collective responsibility is to see that the budget is realistic and implementable, fostering fiscal discipline while meeting the state’s developmental targets,” he emphasised.
Clerk of the House, Mr Oto Aghoghophia, underscored the role of a robust Legislature in fostering economic growth and societal welfare. He praised the Assembly’s leadership for organising the retreat, which he described as an essential step in enhancing legislative impact on Delta State’s socio-economic landscape.
“Today’s gathering is significant, with members of the State Executive Council participating as resource persons to facilitate technical sessions. This collaboration is aimed at refining the budgeting process for greater service delivery,” Aghoghophia stated.
The opening session was attended by key state officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, Finance Commissioner Mr Fidelis Tilije, and Economic Planning Commissioner Mr Sonny Ekadayen, alongside the President of the African Parliamentary Resource Centre, Mr John Mutu, who led the technical discussions.
With the Assembly’s commitment to thorough oversight and a transparent budgeting process, Delta State is poised to achieve greater alignment between legislative action and executive vision in the coming fiscal year.
