The Delta State Taskforce on Environment is asking for the sum of three hundred million naira for its activities in the 2022 fiscal year.
The Chairman of the Taskforce, Mr Silvester Oromoni announced this when he led other officials of the agency to defend it 2022 budget estimates before the Hon Ekpotuareyin Pullah led Committee on Environment, Oil and Gas.
Mr Oromoni said the three hundred million sum include one hundred and sixty five million for recurrent expenditure, while one hundred and thirty five is for capital expenditure.
He told the Lawmakers that before now, the agency does not have a capital budget head, saying that the new development was as a result of the nature of its activities.
The Taskforce Chairman said the proposed sum will enable the agency acquire Hilux Pickup Vans in the three zonal offices in Warri, Agbor and Uvwie and the head office in Asaba as well as procurements of towing van for better service delivery.
Mr Oromoni explained that the agency was established in September 2019 to ensure a safe and clean environment and to also generate revenue from environmental laws offenders.
He stated that the agency is in need of a conducive and well equipped office accommodation to facilitate the work and for a better productivity.
Mr Oromoni disclosed that the agency was allocated the sum of eighty million naira in the 2021 budget, saying that the performance was not impressive.
The Taskforce Chairman however expressed optimism that the year 2022 would be better as the economy is gradually picking up with the easing of the effects of Covid 19 pandemic which affected the global economy negatively.
In their remarks, Chairman, Assembly Committee on Environment, Oil and Gas, Hon Ekpotuareyin Pullah and other members, admonished the officials to seek for enactment of relevant law to back the operation of the agency.
The Lawmakers assured the agency of required support in line with the mandate of the committee.