By Dennis Udoma, Senior Correspondent, Uyo
Barely a week after Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom proposed N597.8 billion fiscal estimate for 2020 to the State House of Assembly, Commissioners and heads of Ministries are said to be groaning in fear of extortion by the legislators for budget approvals before the lawmakers.
Daily Watch Newspapers gathered that, heads of Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Parastatlas and Commissioners as the case may be, have to give gratifications before their financial estimates are approved by the legislators.
This practice, it was learned was booming during budget defense prior to the present assembly.
A former commissioner, who did not want his name in print alleged, while reeling his experience as a one time member of the State Executive Council (SEC).
‘‘. . . the seventh assembly has been quite brutal when it comes to extorting money from members of the executive’’ and lamented that, the processes of budget implementation review, initiated by the sixth assembly has been converted to an avenue to exploit and extort money from members of the executive.
The Speaker, Mr Aniekan Bassey during budget presentation by the governor had charged the Ministries, Departments and Agencies to be ready to defend their budgets promptly as they would be invited to do so.