Fayemi signs N124bn 2020 budget

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday signed the 2020 Appropriation bill into law, with a promise to deliver his electioneering “promises to the people” of the State.

Fayemi, while signing the budget which was tagged the budget of Deliverables, described it as a plan focused on enhancing good governance and implementing a speedy economic transformation of the state.

He added that the budget signalled his administration’s focus on improving and “deepening the infrastructure stock required to attract investments to the State.”

The governor stated that the signing of the appropriation bill into law has returned the State to its predictable January to December budget cycle while also switching from the old fashioned cash-based budgeting to International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS). He stated that his government is now well-positioned to implement the budget and continue the “journey of delivering our promises to the people.”

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He said: “This budget tagged ‘Budget of Deliverables’ is an N124.7 billion plan focused on enhancing good governance and implementing a speedy economic transformation of Ekiti State.

“It signals our focus on improving and deepening the infrastructure stock, required to attract investments to our State; targeting agricultural and rural transformation, enhancing human capital development by improving access to quality education and; social investments to support and protect the poor and vulnerable; and the improvement in governance systems across the State.”

In his remarks, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Funminiyi Afuye said the Assembly painstakingly deliberated and “forensically scrutinised” the budget estimate as required by the law.

Afuye said the people’s engagement in the budgeting process, as well as the cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature, made its passage easier.

The Speaker who urged the governor to ensure that the new budget is implemented to the letters said the State House of Assembly will conduct oversight activities on budget tracking and monitoring of the MDAs so that budget can make a more positive impact on the people.