Ondo State House of Assembly passes 2019 budget

EXACTLY a month after the presentation of the 2019 budget to the Ondo State House of Assembly by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the lawmakers on Thursday, passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill into law, increasing the budget with N3bn.

The budget which was increased from N190b to N193.9b was unanimously approved by members of the House of Assembly after jerking the budget by N3bn.

The Speaker of the House, Bamidele Oleyelogun who presided over the sitting said the increase in the budget became necessary following the recommendations of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, headed by Hon. Sunday Olajide.

Oleyelogun explained that the House Committee on Appropriation has earlier invited Ministries, Departments and Agencies to defend various budgetary allocations to the MDAs before increasing the budget by 2.04 per cent.

Speaking, the Chairman of the Committee, Olajide observed that the fiscal current priorities have been consciously arranged that the growth of drivers of the economy and commencement of new projects and programs that are crucial to the development of the state was the major target.

He stated that the budget proposal was prepared by the state government in line with its advancement agenda for the state saying the 2019 proposed expenditure considered the current economic reality.

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Olajide recommended that the state government should take all necessary steps that will propel all income generating MDAs to embark on more result oriented Internally Generated Revenue drive in line with extant laws.

He advocated that all income generating MDAs should collaborate with the state board of internal revenue in ensuring that the goals and objectives of the government to boost the IGR are pursued with all seriousness.

He said: “It is strongly suggested that all MDAs that have desired to exceed their revenue generation targets should be given the required support and impetus to succeed.

The Majority Leader of the House, Gbenga Araoyinbo, representing Akoko North West Constituency ll moved the motion for the adoption of the bill, calling for the passage of the bill without delay for the benefit of the people.

The state governor, Akeredolu had on December 31, 2018, presented a total estimate of N190bn to the State House of Assembly for proper consideration.

He explained that after looking critically at the budget by the House, the Recurrent Expenditure score N83,852b, Capital expenditure amount to N90,113b, Debt repayment captured N10,369b and total transfer is N9,568,537,435,40.

Akeredolu had earlier earmarked N82.179 billion for recurrent expenditure representing 43.2 per cent and N87.906 for capital expenditure representing 46.3 per cent of the 2019 budget