Ogun State Government has proposed a total expenditure of N472.25 billion for the 2023 budget, comprising N201.84 billion and N270.41 billion as Recurrent and Capital expenditures respectively.

The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who made this known in Abeokuta, during the presentation of the “Budget of Continued Development and Prosperity” to the State House of Assembly, said the ‪2023-2025‬ Medium-Term Fiscal Framework of his administration was hinged on the five development pillars of ‘ISEYA’ mantra.

Abiodun noted that the present government would give more attention to the completion of ongoing projects, such as those with revenue potentials, employment generation to align with the seven thematic areas contained in the Medium-Term National Development Plan ‪2021-2025‬, namely, Economic Growth and Development, Infrastructure, Public Administration (Governance, Security, and International Relations), Human Capital Development, Social Development, Regional Development, Plan Implementation, Communication, Financing, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Governor Abiodun while disclosing that his administration would continue to focus on improving its revenue base, added that in doing this, government would rely on the provisions of the section 23 (1 & 2) of the fiscal responsibility law, 2020 (as amended) with a view to increasing the State’s Internally Generated Revenue, alongside with the Medium-Term Revenue Strategy (MTRS), to drive its Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

Governor Abiodun while highlighting the 2023 key capital projects, said his administration would develop a Dry Port at Kajola to leverage on the existing rail network in the axis, adding that rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance of roads across the State, as well as the completion of Agro Cargo Airport and the construction of Pilot Rural Road of 13.1km at Alapako-Oni and Mosa Junction would be prioritised.

GOV. ABIODUN’S 3-YEAR ADMINISTRATION UNPRECEDENTED
— SPEAKER.

The Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, has said the last three years of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration had witnessed unprecedented development in all areas of human endeavour.

Oluomo stated this in Abeokuta at the presentation of the year 2023 Appropriation Bill christened, “Budget of Continued Development and Prosperity” by Governor Abiodun before members of the State House Assembly.

The Speaker, who highlighted the various legacy projects executed by the present administration to include, construction of rural, urban, intra-city and inter-state roads across the nooks and crannies of the State, Agro Cargo Airport, Remo Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, among others, said “the Governor is indeed worthy of the National Honour of the Best Governor in Industrial Revolution in Nigeria bestowed on him by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR”.

According to Oluomo, “You have succeeded in ensuring that Ogun State maintains its pride as the educational capital and industrial hub among the comity of States in the Country. Without mincing words, the good people of Ogun State, the entire citizenry of Nigeria, and by extension the whole world are all living witnesses to Your Excellency’s ongoing monumental achievements and how you have been turning your dream for a prosperous Ogun State into reality”.

The Speaker noted that the Ninth Assembly had been maintaining cordial relationship with the Executive Arm of Government, which had reflected in the level of achievements recorded by the present administration since its inception in 2019, commending the State Governor for approving the release of fund for the year 2022 Constituency Projects in the State.

Responding shortly after the Governor’s presentation, Speaker Oluomo said the State deserved nothing less than a vibrant and articulate Legislature, an innovative leadership as the head of the Executive arm and a fearless Judiciary as being witnessed in the Gateway State through the various completed and ongoing projects, assuring that the Legislative arm would redouble its efforts towards retaining its pride of place among other States in the Federation.

He promised that the State lawmakers would ensure timely passage of the bill to facilitate the provision of the needed facilities that would add value to the quality of lives of the people.

The budget presentation had in attendance the former Military Administrators, Col. Daniel Akintonde, Oladehinde Joseph and Navy Captain Rasheed Raji, the former Deputy Governor, Yetunde Onanuga and Salimat Badru, former Speakers Suraju Adekunbi and Tunji Egbetokun, State Head of Service, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro, the Chairman, Governor Advisory Council, Chief Olu Ogunboyejo, members of the State Executive Council, traditional rulers including the Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, the representatives of Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, as well as Olu and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, the body of Permanent Secretaries, captains of industry and party stalwarts, among others.

2023 BUDGET: ABIODUN EARMARKS N66B FOR EDUCATION, PROMISES CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has earmarked a total amount of N‪66.793.498.512.13‬ as the proposed budget for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, representing 14 percent of the total appropriation bill of N472.25 billion for the fiscal year 2023, to continuously promote education development in the State.

Presenting the 2023 budget proposal before members of the 9th legislature of the State House of Assembly in Abeokuta, the Governor said the aim of the budget was to further ensure development and prosperity for the citizenry, as well as to maintain and enlarge the economic base of the State.

Prince Abiodun noted that the government was committed to the provision of technical workshops, science laboratories, distribution of furniture and other equipment for public primary and secondary schools across the geo-political zones in the State, to aid good teaching and learning activities.

The Governor said “we will ensure provision of key infrastructure intervention for tertiary institutions, as well as supply, installation and provision of smart classroom equipment for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching, to keep the existing legacy of the State as number one in education and to enhance the knowledge of learners.

He reviewed the achievement of his administration in the education sector to include, construction and rehabilitation of about 1,000 classrooms, distribution of 25,000 furniture, repositioning of Education Management Information System (EMIS) for data gathering, processing and presentation.

Others are; prompt and regular payment of subventions to the State-owned tertiary institutions, recruitment of 5,000 Ogunteach interns, regular promotion of teaching and non-teaching staff, distribution of wheelchairs and white canes to special needs learners, as well as resuscitation of braille book production centres among others.

OGUN 2023 APPROPRIATION BILL: AGRIC, INDUSTRY GULP N16B

A total of N16,482,708,788.43 has been proposed for Agriculture and Industry by Prince Dapo Abiodun’s administration for the 2023 Fiscal Year.

In his presentation of the 2023 budget to the State House of Assembly at Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, Abiodun disclosed that the dream of his administration was gradually becoming a reality with the recent ground breaking of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ), aimed at implementing road map on job creation, food security and poverty alleviation through Public Private Partnership initiative.

The State helmsman said the initiative would not only support smallholder farmers, but other value chain actors for increased agricultural productivity in crop, aqua-culture and livestock sectors, thereby turning Ogun to the food basket of South West.

“We have deployed agriculture for the effective implementation of our road map on job creation, food security and poverty alleviation by massively activating Public Private Partnership. We believe that this initiative would not only support smallholder farmers and other value chain actors, it will also boost job creation through agricultural value chain development”, he said.

Abiodun reeled out ongoing World Bank financed projects such as Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP) which targets 40,000 smallholder farmers, Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) project, domesticated as Ogun-CARES for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

He added that the recently commissioned dairy hub at Eweje Farm Institute in Odeda Local government area in partnership with Fan Milk/Danone was expected to train and empower 1,500 local farmers in the area, as well as free distribution of 100 million tomato, cocoa and cashew seedlings and cassava stems to farmers.

HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEVT RECEIVE OVER N29B IN 2023 FISCAL YEAR

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said his government is determined to pursue an ambitious housing scheme in the coming year, with N29,102,408,070.75 allocated for housing and community development sectors in the 2023 fiscal year.

Abiodun stated this in Abeokuta during the presentation of the year 2023 Appropriation Bill at the Ogun State House of Assembly.

The Governor said the number of houses built by the present administration was more than the total housing units constructed by the previous administrations since the creation of the State in 1976, noting that about 1,500 housing units had been constructed and sold out across the three Senatorial Districts of the State.

He added that patronage of subscribers had propelled the present administration to build more 2- and 3-bedroom bungalow apartments in various locations across the State.