The Ogun State Government is proposing to spend the sum of N345.42 billion in the next fiscal year. The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun made this known on Tuesday, November 21, 2017, while presenting the State’s budget proposal on the floor of the State House of Assembly.
Christened ‘’Budget of Accelerated Development’’, Amosun stated that the proposed appropriation bill which was 57 percent higher than the current year’s budget was a reflection of his administration’s determination to deliver on its electoral promises, assuring that all on-going projects would be completed before the expiration of his tenure.
Giving a breakdown of the budget proposal, the Governor disclosed that recurrent expenditure would gulp N121.698b which represents 35.2 per cent while N223.721b or 64.77 per cent would be expended on capital projects.
According to him, a sum of N68.369billion representing 19.79% of the total recurrent expenditure would be for salaries and allowances, N13.50billion or 3.90% would be spent on pension and gratuities, while overhead cost would gulp N39.829 billion representing 11.53per cent.
On source of financing, Amosun revealed that the proposed budget would be funded through N149.258 billion or 43.21 per cent expected to be generated internally, N48 billion representing 13.9 per cent from the Federation account, N98.160 billion which is 28.42 per cent expected from capital receipts, while the balance of N50 billion or 14.48 per cent is to be made from other receipts.
The Governor further explained that in continuation of his administration’s commitment to providing affordable qualitative education and moving closer to UNESCO’s recommended 26 per cent, the education sector got the lion share of N79.246b representing 22.9 per cent, the health sector got N21.199b representing 6.13 per cent, just as efforts on agricultural production/industrialisation was allocated N21.137b which is 6.12 per cent of the total budget.
On the other hand, Amosun stated that a sum of N45.733b representing 13.24% would be spent on affordable housing and urban renewal, rural and infrastructural development/employment generation was allocated N73.606bn representing 21.31 per cent, while N125.933bn or 30.25 per cent was set aside for other sectors.
Justifying the huge capital expenditure of the proposed budget, the State helmsman pointed out that this is being done to enable his administration accelerate all its developmental plans by continuously developing all infrastructure that would support industrialisation through agricultural development.
‘’We have placed great emphasis on capital projects in order to accelerate the development of our dear State, we must continue to develop infrastructure that supports industry, improve road connectivity within our agricultural areas as well as between our agricultural belts and urban markets” he said.
On the 2017 budget performance, the Governor disclosed that his government had implemented the budget to a tune of over 70 per cent, adding that it had developed the state in the areas of security, infrastructure and ease of doing business amongst others.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Suraj Ishola Adekunbi said the Assembly in the outgoing year has been able to pass 9 bills.
The Speaker, while thanking the Governor for his unprecedented moral and financial support to the legislature, clamoured for the continuation of a cordial relationship that had always existed between the three arms of government.
2018 APPROPRIATION BILL PRESENTATION, ANOTHER MILESTONE IN GOOD GOVERNANCE-SPEAKER
The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraju Ishola Adekunbi has described the presentation of the 2018 Appropriation Bill to the State lawmakers by Governor Ibikunle Amosun as another milestone in the annals of the State.
Adekunbi made this remark shortly before the Governor presented the “Budget of Accelerated Development’’ totalling N345.42 billion, adding that it is in accordance with Section 121 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Adekunbi who seized the occasion to reel out the achievements of the Assembly in the current year to include the timely passage of nine all-inclusive Bills and eight resolutions, pointed out that the monumental transformation of the State from a mere civil service to an industrial destination of choice was apparent for all to admire.
He listed the bills to include: A bill for a law to provide for the establishment of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta, and that of the Ogun State Polytechnic at Ipokia, while it also passed the bill on the Ogun State Community and Social Orientation (So Safe Law). Others are People with Disability Law of Ogun State, and Violence against Persons (Prohibition) law of Ogun State among others.
The Speaker stressed that the contributions of the Assembly were fundamental to the lofty strides recorded since the inception of the administration through its dogged performance of its constitutional roles of law making, oversight, quasi judicial functions and representation, which according to him were made possible by the peace and tranquillity enjoyed by the 8th Assembly despite the heterogeneous nature of political party representation of members.
Speaking later after the presentation, Adekunbi reassured that members of the 8th Legislature in partnership with other arms of government would re-dedicate themselves to further actualize the State’s collective goals as articulated in the 2018 budget estimate.
The Speaker also reiterated his colleague lawmakers’ support to the passage of bills and resolutions that would further facilitate the provision of policies and legal framework required by the government to enhance the provision of more infrastructural facilities necessary for improved quality of life for all residents of the State.
A breakdown of the budget presentation by the Governor indicated that the sum of N223.721 billion would be expended on capital projects, while the balance of N121.698bn was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.
OGUN BUDGETS N21.199BN FOR HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN 2018 FISCAL YEAR
Towards providing efficient healthcare delivery for the citizenry, the Ogun State Government is planning to spend the sum of N21.199bn on the health sector in the 2018 fiscal year.
The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun said this during the presentation of the 2018 budget proposal tagged ‘’Budget of Accelerated Development’’ at the State House of Assembly, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
To achieve this ideal, the Governor disclosed that emphasis would be placed on renovating and equipping of at least 57 Primary Healthcare Centres and the five State Hospitals, build three new State Hospitals in each of the three Senatorial districts, just as it intended to upgrade laboratory and radio-diagnostic facilities in each of the Federal constituencies.
‘’Our priorities for 2018 are Renovation and Equipping of Primary Healthcare centres at least one per Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LG/LCDA) and the five State hospitals which along with our preventive intervention serve as the bedrock of our healthcare delivery within the State.
‘’We also intend to build three new State hospitals, one in each senatorial District, making modern higher, quality, secondary healthcare more accessible to our people,’’ Amosun said.
On capacity building, the Governor declared that training and retraining of healthcare providers would be embarked upon in line with continuous professional development requirements for doctors and nurses, saying the restoration of full accreditation to the three schools of nursing within the State and the two schools of midwifery would also give the State the capacity to train large number of nursing students.
Speaking further, Amosun said his administration was also planning to re-position the State Ambulance and Rescue Services to be more responsive to the needs of the populace, promising to construct a renal transplant centre at the Teaching Hospital Sagamu.
The Governor also pledged that his government would continue to conduct targeted interventions for the poor and vulnerable within the State to improve health indices and maintain leading positions across many metrics nationally.
Reviewing the performance of the sector in the present year, the Governor disclosed that the “Araya” Social Health Insurance Scheme had reduced the rate of maternal mortality as many as 16,000 pregnant women and children under five years in the rural areas had benefitted from the scheme.
2018 FISCAL YEAR: HOUSING, URBAN RENEWAL DEVT TO GULP N45.733 B.
A total of N45.733bn is to be spent on the provision of affordable housing and urban renewal developments in Ogun State in the next fiscal year, the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has said.
Amosun stated this on Tuesday in Abeokuta while presenting the State’s 2018 appropriation bill tagged `Budget for Accelerated Development` on the floor of the State House of Assembly, stressing that his administration considered affordable housing programme a basic human right.
He said it was in line with the desire of present administration at ensuring that the Abeokuta City Centre be redesigned; noting that the new design would feature structures that would encourage higher income earners to make the city their home.
“The provision of shelter for the citizenry has been and will continue to be a priority of our administration. In order to improve the stand of living for our people, the Ogun State Housing Corporation is constructing estates at Idi-Aba and Oke-Ata in Abeokuta as well as Ota through Public Private Partnerships (PPP), while efforts are being made to extend this to Ijebu-Ode,’’ Gov. Amosun said.
Amosun made it known that Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC), in collaboration with Ministries of Works & Infrastructure and Housing had successfully completed the redevelopment and reconstruction of the old Gateway Hotel Annex by converting it into a 66 rooms Residence Style Resort within a record time.
OGUN TO SPEND N79.25 BILLION ON EDUCATION IN 2018
The Ogun State Government is to spend a sum of N79.25 billion on education in 2018 fiscal year.
The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun who gave the figure while presenting the year 2018 Appropriation Bill before members of the State House of Assembly, said the figure represented 22. 9 per cent of the N345. 418bn of the total estimated for the year.
According to Governor Amosun, the state will concentrate on training and retraining of teachers in all the State Public Schools so as to expose them to modern teaching methodologies which will invariably improve students’ performance in both internal and external examinations.
He said efforts would be geared towards improving teaching in the State public schools as government would collaborate with ‘’Teach for Nigeria’’, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to transform teaching methodologies in primary schools beginning with 20 pilot schools.
The Governor also disclosed that five additional Model Secondary Schools would be opened for academic activities in the first quarter of next year, while Professor Adeoye Lambo Model School at Onijanganjangan in Abeokuta North Local Government Area had been converted to a Technical College to further boost technical and vocational education in the State.
OGSG TO PROCURE MORE COMPACTORS FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Ogun State Government says it will procure additional waste compactors towards ensuring efficient waste management in 2018.
Amosun while presenting the 2018 Budget outlook to the Ogun State House of Assembly stated that government would strengthen its capacity at collecting waste by purchasing additional compactors and skip loaders, just as the existing ones would also be refurbished.
He noted that the pressure on government at strengthening environmental management in the State was as a result of influx of businesses and rapid population growth, saying it would develop new ways at ensuring sustainable waste management.
The Governor added that the State had engaged the Agence Francaise De Development (AFD) to design a comprehensive intervention for waste management in the State, explaining that the development would help improve waste collection in sorting and recycling.
He noted that the present administration had equally strengthened the capacity of the Ministry of Environment towards promoting efficient environmental monitoring, compliance and enforcement, adding that industries were now being compelled to provide Effluent Treatment Facilities (ETF) and install Pollution Abatement Technologies in their factories.
‘’We are expectant of technical and financial support to help us revolutionize our operations in the State. In the interim, we also intend to strengthen our capacity at collecting waste by purchasing additional assets to enhance our efforts. We will buy additional compactors and skip loaders and we will also be refurbishing our existing stock,’’ Amosun said.
AMOSUN TO CONSTRUCT MORE ROADS IN 2018
The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has disclosed his administration’s readiness towards constructing more urban, semi urban and rural roads so as to ensure overall development of the State.
Governor Amosun who disclosed this on Tuesday on the floor of the State House of Assembly while presenting the 2018 Appropriation Bill titled ‘’Budget of Accelerated Development’’, listed the names of urban roads to be constructed to include 26km Sagamu-Ogijo road, 28km Ikangba-Ilese-Itele road, 26km Ilisan – Ago-Iwoye road.
Others are 36 kilometre Abeokuta – Sagamu interchange road, 24km Atan-Agbara road, 42km Sango-Ojodu road, 5.5km Enugada-Adatan road, 3.5km Itoku-Ajitadun-Iberekodo road and 10km Adatan-Alabata – Camp Junction.
He noted that 171 rural roads and 25 semi-urban roads cutting across the three Senatorial Districts had been earmarked for construction while three fly over bridges at Ilaro, Oju Ore in Ota and Lusada junction would be constructed.
He said ‘’the provision of adequate infrastructure will always be a critical part of this government drive provide development of our people. As the Gateway State we will use all the resources at our disposal to ensure that our business people and residents alike enjoy continuous improved mobility in and around our State’’.
The Governor pointed out that 21.3 per cent share of the total budget was allocated to the Rural and Infrastructural Development/Employment Generation, adding that a budget size of N345.42billion which represented 57 percent increase compared to the 2017 budget was presented in order to commence new projects and fast track the completion of the on-going ones before the end of his tenure.
Amosun assured that government would not relent in its efforts at ensuring the development of the Olokola Deep Sea Port and the Olokola Free Trade Zone, urging well meaning investors to partner with Government in its bid at developing Tongeji Island.
OGUN PLANS NEW NETWORK OF MARKETS IN 2018
In order to expand network of markets across the State the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun says government is planning to construct more markets in 2018 fiscal year towards promoting socio-economic activities in the State.
Senator Amosun who disclosed this during the presentation of the 2018 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly, said the markets would help stimulate commercial activities in the State, noting that the markets would be constructed in Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ifo, Ibafo, Ilaro, Lafenwa and Ota.
He pointed out that plans were in the pipeline to involve the Board of the Ogun State Agricultural Multipurpose Credit Agency (OSAMCA) so as to enable it offer single digit loans to artisans and traders to enhance commercial activities of the informal sector.
According to him, the State has continued to witness steady inflow of investment despite the recession, promising that the State Government would ensure that the momentum built in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was maintained.
OGUN BUDGETS N21.137BN FOR AGRIC DEVELOPMENT IN 2018
Ogun State Government has proposed a budget of N21.137billion for development of agriculture in the year 2018 Appropriation Bill.
Governor Amosun while presenting the bill before the State House of Assembly at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta said the amount appropriated to the sector represented 6.12 percent of the State total N345.42 billion proposed for next year.
According to Governor Amosun, his government will continue to invest in agriculture due to its potential at generating employment opportunity for the populace especially the youths.
He said his government would work towards improving the average age of farmers which was pegged at 60 years in Nigeria, saying youth would be encouraged to take-up farming not only as a profession but as a business.
Governor Amosun said in 2018, the State government would encourage 10,000 youths to take part in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme with the government ready to provide expertise advice and trainings.
He added that the present administration would also improve farm settlements in the State to encourage food production while interested farmers would have access to land.
Amosun said the State had embarked on the construction of six poultry pens with 10,000 capacity each at the Odeda Farm Institute to encourage protein intake and provide employment opportunity, while 1,000 earthen pond are also being dug at Odeda, Imasayi and Ikenne.
The Governor made it known that the State Government would also embark on large production of vegetables in 2018 both at the open and green houses in all the Senatorial Districts, saying that plantation would also be established for pineapple and banana across the State.
He reassured that the State would continue to encourage the production of local rice known as Ofada as well as cassava which the State had comparative advantage over others.
Amosun added that over 2,000 hectares of cassava farm would soon be established in Owowo in Ewekoro Local Government Area, as the State was planning to launch its branded rice next month.
AMOSUN APPROVES 2018 ASCON EXAMINATION
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has approved the participation of the State Civil Service Commission in the 2018 Public Service Examination to be conducted by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON).
A release signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Amope Chokor stated that the examination is scheduled to take place from January 25 to 26, 2018.
She therefore, requested Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) to indicate by forwarding to the Commission the numbers of existing vacancies the required Officer’s Cadres domiciled in different agencies to be filled by prospective candidates in the examination and in other officer’s cadre using staff establishment positions on the request.
Ministries and Agencies of government are enjoined to make their positions known on or before 27th Monday, 2018 to enable the Commission decide appropriately.
