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By Sola Isola
As the year 2023 winds out, Osun state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke presented a budget of N273.9billion to the Osun State House of Assembly for the 2024.
Osun Spring reports that this budget is the highest in the history of Osun state as the state under the past administration had only presented N138billion and N129.7billion budget for 2023 and 2022 respectively.
Our correspondent reports this is the first budget that Governor Adeleke would present to the state Assembly since he assumed office in November, 2022.
Recall that four days to the inauguration of Governor Adeleke as Osun State Governor, the 5th Osun State House of Assembly under the former Speaker Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye had passed the 2023 budget of the state as presented to the lawmakers by outgoing Governor Gboyega Oyetola whose tenure ends on Sunday.
While presenting the 2024 budget tagged “Budget of Reconstruction and Recovery” Governor Adeleke noted that the budget is made of N165.6billion for recurrent expenditure and N108.2billion for capital expenditure.
The Governor said “In conformity with the existing laws which stipulate that the draft Budget of the State should be presented to the House for approval before the end of the year, I am pleased to present to the honourable members of Osun State House of Assembly through the Honourable Speaker, the Draft 2024 Budget of Osun State.
Days after, Governor Ademola Adeleke hosted the State Executive Council meeting with key focus on treasury board decisions as it affects preparation for budget 2024 and landmark pronouncements on state governance.
The meeting attended by all members of the executive council deliberated on 2024 budget proposals from the Ministries, departments and agencies as a prelude to the submission of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework to the State House of Assembly.
Addressing the Council, Governor Adeleke called for due diligence on the budget preparation process, reading out key policy directives on the governance of the state.
In the bid to reduce cost of governance and effort to achieve the funding of the budget, the Governor directed the immediate suspension of foreign travels by top officials, urging application of virtual meetings for attendance and participation at international business and investment events.
“Foreign trips for top officials for the rest of the year is hereby suspended unless there is a direct emergency to be authorized by the Governor”, the Governor directed
Governor Adeleke further instructed that state expenditure should henceforth be focussed on implementation of critical projects across the sectors.
According to him, “we must sustain the momentum of our service delivery by avoiding excessive spending on recurrent and overheads”
He also called for personal sacrifice on the part of cabinet members, positing that cabinet members and all members of the administration must demonstrate readiness to sacrifice in the face of the state’s harsh financial situation.
“Our needs from office to accommodation are much but our resources are limited. So we have to devise a coping mechanism pending the time our funding situation will improve” , he affirmed.
Subsequently, the Osun State House of Assembly has approved the N273.9 billion appropriation bill for the 2024 fiscal year in the State.
A statement by Tiamiyu Olamide, Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, noted that the motion for the Bill to be read for the third time, which signal the Approval of the House, was moved by the Majority Leader Hon. Babajide Kofoworola who is also a member of the Finance and Appropriation Committee.
He added that the passage of the bill came after the presentation of a report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Olumide Fatunmise at the plenary on Wednesday, 20th December, 2023.
The statement noted further that the final copy of the Bill will be produced and forwarded to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke for his assent.
Osun Spring Newspaper reports that this is aside the multibillion naira infrastructure development plan of the Ademola Adeleke administration.
Recall that Governor Adeleke had earlier announced to members of the state executive council that “”Members of the Council are to also note that I will be unveiling the Administration’s N100 billion Infrastructure Plan by Thursday. The plan covers roads, health, water, housing among others.”
The plan had been unveiled and work has started in earnest on the Old Garage-Okefia-Lameco Road as well as Akoda Junction to Cottage Junction to Baptist High School Area, Ede.
As the year 2024 draws close, the people of Osun looks forward to further delivery of quality leadership and good governance since the budget had been tagged Reconstruction and Recovery.
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