The Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Health has warned the State Ministry of Health, Departments, Agencies, and Parastatals against any form of misappropriation of budgetary provisions or face the wrath of the law.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon Ferguson Onwo gave the warning yesterday at the end of a two-day rigorous budget defense exercise for the Ministry of Health, Departments, Agencies, and parastatals under the oversight of the House Committee on Health.

Onwo who represents Isoko South 2 Constituency in the House, stressed that the purpose of budget defense is to ascertain the level of performance in the outgoing year and successes recorded as to forecast into the next fiscal year.

Onwo alongside other members of the Committee maintained that while the state government through the appropriation law allocates resources to MDAs, it becomes a breach of the law when expenditures are made outside the budgetary allocations.

“Let me make it clear, Section 128 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered makes it clear that no money of the State government shall be wasted which further talks about misappropriation of funds.

“Our duty as lawmakers is to ensure that money is appropriated to execute projects and programmes of the state government and to ensure that every money appropriated to MDAs are not just put to use, but put to good use for the benefit of Deltans.

“We as a committee will continue to play our role in supporting the programmes of the State government in the area of health, particularly the health insurance scheme”, Onwo said

Hon Onwo therefore urged them to be prudent with the resources allocated to their Ministry as the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s led administration is committed to delivering on his electioneering promises.

Meanwhile, the State government has proposed 30 Billion naira for capital projects in the Ministry of Health in the 2025 fiscal year.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, who stated this at the budget defense session with the Hon Ferguson Onwo’s led Committee on Health, hinted that the State government is poised at prioritizing capital projects and programmes in 2025 aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery in the State.