The Sokoto State House of Assembly, on Thursday, passed a supplementary appropriation bill of N21 billion to fund the state administration.

The bill is for a law to authorise the issue out of the consolidated revenue funds of the state.

This development followed a letter dated Aug. 9, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tukur Bala, by Gov. Ahmed Aliyu, and presented at the plenary.

Mr Aliyu said the request followed the need to carry out modifications in the budgetary provisions to accommodate additional income and earnings of all the projected revenue in the state’s budget.

As the bill gets its first and second reading, Alhaji Bello Idris (APC- Gwadabawa North), the Assembly Majority Leader, requested the members to consider it at the committee of the whole House.

Thereafter the committee meeting, the Speaker put the motion into a voice vote and the lawmakers unanimously adopted the bill.

In a related development, a bill for a law to amend the fiscal responsibility law 2019 has passed second reading at the assembly plenary.

The private member bill presented by Abubakar Shehu (APC- Yabo) is to provide for the seeking of approval of the House of Assembly for virement and other related matters.

The Speaker referred the bill to the House committee on finance and appropriation for scrutiny to report back to the Assembly in two weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, the House in a letter dated Aug. 9, received the second list of eight commissioner-nominees and members of the state executive council.

Reading the letter at plenary, Mr Bala said the governor’s request was following the need to constitute the state executive council as enshrined in the Public Service Rules.

“This is as well as other procedures as required by the law pertaining to such appointments.

“As such need for its earnest consideration in the interest of ensuring effective conduct of government business in the state,” he said.

The nominees are Ibrahim Adare, Aminu Bodai, Nura Shehu, Shehu Chaco, Sharehu Kamarawa, Sanusi Umar, Haruna Bashar and Nasiru Binji.

(NAN)