24th October, 2018
Mr Emmanuel Igbasan, the Ondo State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, said on Wednesday that the state government awarded 704 capital projects worth N41.99 billion between January and September.
Igbasan disclosed this at a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Ondo North Senatorial district at Ikare Akoko in Akoko North-East Local Government Area.
The commissioner said that the projects were sited across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said they were not among the projects and programmes being implemented through direct labour by ministries and extra ministerial departments of the state government.
According to him, the projects show the determination of the state government to achieve greater percentage in the implementation of the 2018 budget.
Igbasan explained that 347 projects worth N29. 89 billion were located in the six local government areas that made up the senatorial district.
The commissioner said N5. 89 billion were paid to contractors handling various projects in the district in 2018.
He said that the meeting was meant to engage people not in the public service fort their inputs in the preparation of the 2019 budget to make it a people-oriented one.
“Following the signing of the state Fiscal Responsibility Bill into law in 2017, the inclusion of the inputs of the people in the yearly budget has become mandatory.
“Without any contradiction, budget ought to be a combined ideas and a product of collective contributions.
“It should be an essential tool that captures and reflects the values and priorities of the people of Ondo state.
“This year, our resolve is to engage even more people in the conversation about how we can work together to build a better future for our children and grandchildren,” he said.
In an address, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Bunmi Alade, noted that in recent years, the focus on budget had assumed greater prominence with increased democratisation and citizens’ participation.
Alade said that for the state to have robust and realistic budget, it must capture the interest and reflect the values and priorities of the people of the state.
The Olukare of Ikare, Oba Akadiri Momoh, appreciated the Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration for providing the forum for the people at the grassroots to contribute to the fiscal policy of government.
Momoh highlighted the priority needs of the area to include rehabilitation of roads and provision of potable water.
The Chairman of the state Council of Obas also called for allocation of funds to take care of the welfare of traditional rulers.