Three Amendment Bills Pass Second Reading At Bayelsa Assembly

Yenagoa– Three amendment bills namely, the Public Procurement Amendment Bill, 2020; Fiscal Responsibility Amendment Bill, 2020 and Debt Management Office Amendment Bill, 2020, on Wednesday, passed second reading on the floor of the 24-member Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

The procurement amendment bill seeks to open up the state’s budget process through the introduction of electronic procurement system which would enable the public to participate in the process.

It also seeks to identify those that should constitute the local government public procurement board which was vague in the extant law.

The debt management office bill seeks to limit state borrowing to 40 percent of the state’s annual allocation from the Federation Account.

The Majority Leader of the House, Monday Bubou-Obolo, who opened debate on the fiscal responsibility amendment bill, said that accountability and transparency were key elements if government must deliver on its developmental goals.

He noted that no effective service delivery could be achieved without transparency and citizens’ participation in the budget process, adding that a dedicated website should be created to enable the public engage the process.

The three bills were subsequently committed to the House Committee on Appropriation and Finance to report back in one week.

The House also approved the Chart of Account presented to it by Governor Douye Diri which was in compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).