In a bid to expedite the passage of the appropriation bill for the 2025 fiscal year, the National Assembly has been engrossed in intense oversight functions as prescribed by extant laws.
Heads of different Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government have been thronging the National Assembly Complex during the course of the outgoing week to defend their 2025 budget estimate before relevant House Committees. One such engagement was the budget defense of the Ministry of Environment led by Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Nigeria’s Minister for Environment, and his team, which included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Mahmud Adam Kambari, and the House of Representatives committee on Environment.
During the course of the Ministry’s budget defense session with the Committee on Environment under the Chairmanship of Hon. Julius Pondi, the member representing Orhionmwon Uhunmwode federal constituency, Hon. Chief Dr. Billy Osawaru, who is also, a member of the committee punched holes in the budget defense with particular reference to sections of the Ministry’s presentation.
His eagle eyes and trained attention to financial details spotted an ambiguous section in the budget figures and sought clarity. Through his series of direct questions to the Hon. Minister and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hon. Billy Osawaru demonstrated thoroughness, passion for financial probity, accountability, and transparency.
It also highlighted the fact that the 10th House of Representatives cannot be described as a “Rubber Stamp House” due to the vibrancy the likes of the proud Benin chief brings to the legislative and oversight duties of a federal lawmaker.
Since his assumption of office as a federal lawmaker in June 2023, Hon. Billy Osawaru has shown that he has the wherewithal to better the lots of his constituents by attracting legacy projects to his Constituency – Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon. Not to talk about the chains of empowerment programmes that he has made available for the people.
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