By: Ade Phillips
The Ondo State House of Assembly says that it will not entertain any inclusions and requests that will not have great impacts on the state’s development in the 2024 Appropriation Bill.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, stated this on Friday when declaring open the defence on the 2024 Budget proposal.
Starnews Nigeria reports that the Acting Gov., Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Thursday presented over N384.53 billion to the state’s House of the Assembly with Capital Expenditure of over N212,015 billion while N172,518 billion was allocated to recurrent expenditure.
Oladiji asked all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAS) to justify its proposals beyond all doubt, for any approval to be assented to by the assembly.
He said that it was of a belief that budget performance of 2024 would be more appreciable when the budgeting was made very realistic.
According to him, the 2023 budget was relatively successful despite the untold effects of hyper inflation, removal of oil subsidy, climate change and security threats.
The speaker asked all stakeholders to put in their best to make the financial proposal a success in the interest of the state .
Oladiji explained that the 2024 budget, tagged “Economic Resilience”, was geared towards further consolidation of numerous on-going programmes of the current administration
In his remarks, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, stated that the budget defence was one of the most significant constitutional rights accorded to the legislature as entrenched in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).
“We all know that it is the very first Appropriation Bil the 10th Assembly will be considering. It, therefore, behoves on us to collectively take conscious efforts to concentrate on issues that actually dominate our present concern, our vision, hopes as well as our aspirations for the state.
“Let me bring to memory that the 2023 budget tagged “Budget of Shared Prosperity” which was performing until the total removal of fuel subsidy that led to dramatic change in parameters earlier used for the said budget.
“It is our hope that 2024 Appropriation of N384,533,000,000.00 broken into N172,518,140,353.00 for Recurrent Expenditure and N212,014,859, 647.00 for Capital Expenditure that is aimed at cushioning the effect of fuel subsidy removal covers the imminent wage increase for workers as well as control the floating exchange rate will live to its billing,” he said.
Ogunmolasuyi, who is also the Majority Leader of the House of the Assembly, said that the Committee would painstakingly strive very hard to have a workable, feasible and a pragmatic budget in all ministries. departments, establish, tertiary institutions and agencies.
“There is the need to contribute our quota positively towards the attainnent of a very visionary budget for our dear state which will ensure that there is a great commitment of service to humanity.
“Be assured that as distinguished Honourable Members, We shall continue to uphold the provisions of the constitution in its entirety while working through the Budget Proposal bearing in mind the Socio-economic development of our state,” he said.
Some of the MDAs that defended their budget included: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce, Office of the Head of Service, Ministry of Information and the Ondo State Local Government Service Commission
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