Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly has passed the 2018 appropriation Bill put at N318 billion with an increment of N21.78bn from the N295 billion presented by the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson on the 22nd December, 2017.

Speaker of the Bayelsa Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson, while speaking on what transpired at the Committee of Supply stage where the final consideration was made, assured that when signed into law, the executive arm will ensure proper implementation like it has done with other previous budget signed into law.

Hon. Kombowei Benson commended members of the House of Assembly for the roles they played by attending to over 20 MDAs during budget defence.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), has declared that those involved in the prompt payment of taxes have the constitutional right to hold government accountable on spending and development plans.

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Jonah who reiterated that the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson strongly believes in accountability and good governance which informed the enactment of the law on Transparency and Accountability pointed out that those involved in the public assessment of the activities of government should endeavour to pay their taxes as at when due and only then can they hold government accountable.

Jonah, who stated this while declaring open a two-day mandatory professional training for members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation in Nigeria, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State explained that in answer to constitutional rights of tax payers, it  introduced the policy of Transparency Briefing where the State government publicly declares its revenue and expenditure profile on a monthly basis.

He also stated that all tax payers in the State benefit from tax payments as 5% of the IGR was remitted to accounts of both the school feeding programme and the health insurance scheme.

The National President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Chief Cyril Ikemefuna Ede in his remarks commended the State government for its transparent disposition by declaring its income and revenue profile to the citizenry.