Ogun to Spend N210.2bn in 2014

8 Ex-Governors Witness Ogun 2014 Budget Presentation, (L-R): Navy Capt. Kayode Olofinmoyin, Commodore Oladeinde Joseph, Major Gen. Ekundayo Opaleye (Ondo State), Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Major Gen. Ayodele Balogun, Major. Gen. Oladayo Popoola, Col. Daniel Akintonde and Navy Capt. Rasheed Raji (Bauchi and Sokoto States) after the presentation of 2014 Appropriation Bill to the Ogun State House of Assembly…yesterday.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday (Tuesday) presented an appropriation bill of N210.2billion for the 2014 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly with a capital expenditure of N117.51bn representing 55.90 percent.

The budget, which he tagged ‘Budget of consolidation’ also has N92.70 billion or 44 percent set aside for recurrent expenditure and is slightly lower than the 2013 budget which was N211.79billion.

He explained that “the slight increase in capital allocation reflects our commitment to sustain the growth of infrastructure in the state whilst we will seek efficiencies in our Recurrent Expenditure”.

Amosun said the leaner 2014 budget was as a result of dwindling revenue from the Federation Account, stressing, “We encountered some challenges in the implementation of the 2013 Budget…we are not insulated from the wider national economic challenges. The funds from the Federation Account and Value Added Taxes have been significantly lower than expected”.

He however said that despite the drop in revenue from the federation accounts and the tough economic environment, the performance of the 2013 budget, as at 30 September 2013, stood at 64.2%.

The governor expressed happiness that “despite these challenges we have remained focused and creative to ensure that we meet all of our obligations as and when due, particularly in the payment of staff salaries and allowances, funding of our capital projects as well as meeting our borrowing obligations.”

He explained that the government plans to fund the budget through Internally Generated Revenue of N84.12bn or 40.02 percent while N70.25bn or 33.42 percent will come from the Federation account. Capital Receipts of N55.83 Billion representing 26.56 percent is expected to make up the balance. The governor gave the breakdown of the budget under its administration’s 5-cardinal programme with Education retaining the lion share of N43.99bn or 20.93 percent, Health takes N21.11b or 10.04 percent and Agriculture will gulp N10.52bn or 5 percent. Housing is expected to take N26.74bn or 12.72 percent while Rural and Infrastructural Development takes N34.66bn or 16.49 percent.

Senator Amosun also spoke of the plans of his administration to inject 100 new mini-buses as well as 250 new taxis into the transport sector of the state.

He added that “In the area of roads, our focus will be on the completion of the 14 Ogun Standard road projects that are currently ongoing state-wide. In addition we plan to commence a number of new road projects which include:

Papalanto to Ilaro Road;

Ijebu-Igbo Township Road;

Adatan-Enugada Road;

Cable Bridge at Lafenwa Ayetoro Road.

We will also commence the construction of at least two roads in each of the 20 Local Government Areas which will be handled by the engineers from the Ministry of Works through direct labour. On security, the governor noted that “Our approach will be proactive and strategic. In this regard, we plan to purchase additional security equipment including 200 fully fitted Hilux Vehicles to support the police and other security agents.

The governor listed the major initiatives of his administration in the health sector for 2014 as: Renovation and equipping the facilities of the 5 State hospitals as well as the General Hospitals across the State, upgrade of equipment and facilities at Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) at Sagamu, massive recruitment of medical personnel – Doctors, Midwives, Nurses, Dentists, Pharmacists, Provision of drugs in the hospitals.

Others include the Construction of Model Primary Health Centres in each of the nine federal constituencies of the state; Establishment of a state of the art Diagnostic Centre in Abeokuta; commencement of the construction of three additional General Hospitals across the State and Establishment of a Cancer Centre at the Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.