Edo House of Assembly has passed the 2024 Supplementary Appropriation Bill of N409.2 billion to accommodate the new minimum wage in the state.

Governor Godwin Obaseki had signed the 2024 appropriation estimate of N342.8 billion into law in December before Wednesday’s revision to N409.2 billion.

The supplementary appropriation bill now has a total of N182.4 billion earmarked for recurrent expenditure and a total of N226.8 billion for capital expenditure.

Its passage followed the governor’s request in a letter signed by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, requesting the house to pass the bill.

The speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, directed the clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to give the bill its third reading and forward clean copies to the governor for his assent.

Earlier, the majority leader of the House, Charity Aiguobarueghian, said the passage became necessary for the state government to accommodate the increment in the state’s new minimum wage.

Meanwhile, the assembly also passed the bill to domesticate the harmonised retirement age of teachers, increasing it from 60 to 65 years old and 35 to 40 years of service.

(NAN)