LP Rep Member, Ogene Urges Press to Hold Govt Accountable, Monitor Budget Implementation

By Praise Chinecherem

A member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Renewable Energy, Hon. Victor Ogene has charged journalist to hold government at all levels accountable in budget implementation.

Addressing members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra state council after the union’s triennial delegate conference at the Godwin Ezeemo Int’l Press Centre, Awka, Hon. Ogene stated that most state governors run “closed budget”.

He said that budgets of most state government do not contain specific amounts appropriate for specified project, urging reporters to interrogate budgets of state governments for proper accountability.

“It is disheartening that some state lawmakers do not know the details of the state budget they approve for the governor to implement”,

“What the budget estimates of the state governments unlike national budget contain are mainly sectoral allocations without details of the various projects earmarked for implementation and the amount.

“It is disheartening that some state lawmakers do not know the details of the state budget they approve for the governor to implement”, Ogene stated.

While regretting steady decline of investigative journalism, the lawmaker representing Ogbaru federal constituency challenged journalists to sit up, and, be alive to their responsibilities as the watchdog of the society.

The immediate past chairman of the Anambra state council of NUJ, Comrade Emeka Odogwu was re–elected after securing overwhelming 170 votes to defeat his former vice-chairman and only challenger, Comrade Ngozi Obileri who polled 40 votes.

Comrade Beatrice Onuchukwu-Ekwueme emerged vice-chairman, while Dr Okechukwu Onuegbu of Blue-print Newspaper won the Secretary.

Odogwu in his speech after the swearing in of his new executive particularly thanked the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo; commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor; Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu for rejecting the pressure to interfer in the council election.

He promised to work hard to uplift the council to greater heights and urged his co-contestant and other members of the council to unite and work for the progress of the council and members improve welfare.