Osun Assembly Passes N179.2 billion 2018 Budget

By Israel Afolabi

Osun House of Assembly has passed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of N179.2 billion.

The passage of the budget followed a motion moved  by the leader of the house,  Honourable Timothy Owoeye and seconded by the House Chairman  on Finance and Appropriation, Kamil Oyedele, at the plenary on Wednesday in Osogbo.

The budget, as approved has N92.6 billion as capital expenditure, which represents 51.2 per cent and N86.6 billion as recurrent expenditure, which represents 48.9 per cent.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola had on Dec. 28, 2017 presented a budget of N173.9 billion to the assembly.

The budget was jacked up by the parliament in the course of its consideration

Explaining the reason for the delay in the passage of the budget, the Speaker of the house, Honourable Najeem Salaam, said the lawmaker were being careful to present a budget that would be acceptable to the people.

Salaam urged the state governor to release the approved budget to Ministries,  Department and Agencies of government immediately funds are available for proper implementation.

He said this would allow the MDAs to function effectively.

The speaker also urged revenue generating agencies to improve on the internally generated revenue drive to complement what the state was getting from the Federal allocation.

Speaking with newsmen after the passage of the bill, the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, said that the budget was increased by N5.2 billion by the assembly.

Oyintiloye said the increment represents 3.03 per cent of the original budget presented  to the assembly by the governor, saying that the increment was necessitated by the finding of the parliament which unveiled some of the needs of the state that were not originally captured.

The lawmaker said that he was satisfied with the approved budget christened  ’ budget of enduring legacy’.

“It is a budget of hope with capital expenditure higher than the recurrent expenditure.

“With the sectoral allocation, I believe it is a budget for the common man, which is promising and achievable, if all involve in the implementation play their role”, Oyintiloye said.

The lawmaker said that the assembly, through its standing committees would ensure proper implementation of the budget and its performance.