• Okowa signs N390.3b appropriation bill into law
Infrastructure development and education got a big chunk of allocation as Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, yesterday presented his 2019 budget to the House of Assembly.
The N152.7 billion budget, tagged: ‘Budget of Hope’ was lower than the N179.2billion budgeted for the outgoing year.The governor, who said he would build on the giant strides of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, promised to give priority to agriculture, healthcare and provision of water in the rural area.
He told the lawmakers that “the era of payment of modulated salaries and allowances and other benefits has become a thing of the past, as workers and pensioners are now collecting their full salaries.”
Oyetola said the state would pursue an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N36 billion at “a minimum N3 billion monthly” out of the projected total revenue of N150billion.
The fiscal plan is heavy on the side of capital projects, which got N91.5billion, representing 65 per cent of estimated expenditure, with education getting N10.4 billion, which is 11.36 per cent of the appropriation. Oyetola said: “We shall review the school curriculum to achieve value reorientation and create a sense of belonging in our youths.
Consequently, History, as a subject, shall be re-introduced in our secondary schools, while Civic Education shall be expanded to incorporate the Omoluabi ethos. Oyetola said: “Focused-attention shall also be given to technical and vocational education to inculcate relevant skills for the youth to make them job creators, rather than job seekers.
“Our Administration remains irrevocably committed to the joint ownership and co-funding of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, as well as the College of Health Sciences, Osogbo, with the Oyo State government.
”Meanwhile, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has signed the 2019 Appropriation Bill of N390.3 billion into law. The budget is made of a capital expenditure of N233.2 billion, and a recurrent expenditure of N157.1 billion.
Okowa, while signing the bill yesterday in Asaba, said early signing of the bill into law will give his administration ample opportunities to utilise the dry season to engage in construction works.He commended the Delta State House of Assembly for the early passage of the appropriation bill, describing the state legislature as great partners in the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.