Ajimobi presents N152b 2013 Budget

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has presented a N152 billion budget proposal for the 2013 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly for consideration, expressing his commitment to ensuring a transformed Oyo State.
Ajimobi, while making the presentation of the budget tagged: Budget of Transformation” on the floor of the Assembly on Monday, said that the proposal was guided by his administration’s desire to restore, transform and reposition the state to its former pacesetter status over the medium-term.
While N82.97 billion, representing 54.55 per cent, is allocated for recurrent expenditure, the capital expenditure will gulp N69.15 billion, representing 45.1 per cent of the budget.
The sectoral allocation consists of economy (including infrastructure) 36.26 per cent; social services, 24.13 per cent; General Administration, 25.46 per cent; and Regional Development, 14.15 per cent.
According to the governor, the high percentage of 60.39 per cent allocated to the economic and social services sectors underscores his administration’s determination to pursue a people-centered, employment-driven economic agenda.
“We consider this strategy as the best antidote to the problem of poverty among our people,” he said.
Ajimobi also said that the 2013 budgetary proposals had been anchored on some policy thrust and philosophy, including realism of budgetary proposal, prioritization and calendarisation of capital budget implementation and entrenching value-chain approach to sectoral development, especially in areas such as agriculture and investment promotion.
He also said that the public-private-partnership framework would be intensified towards the provision of adequate semi-public goods and services.
The governor explained that the strategy for achieving these would depend greatly on aggressive internal revenue generation through more effective and efficient tax administration as well as extension of tax net to those hitherto outside the net.
“We will come back to this House shortly to request for necessary legislative muscle, not only on taxation, but also on other sundry regulatory issues that are due for review or to be proposed,” he said.
Ajimobi recalled the enormous challenges, which confronted his administration on assumption of office in May 2011, adding, however, that solid foundation had been successfully laid for the restoration of the state to its pace setter status.
The governor stated that his administration had been able to make significant improvements in good governance and strategic alliances with both local and international development communities, peace and security, health services, wealth creation and economic empowerment, environment and habitat as well as education, infrastructure and, staff development and welfare.
He also said that extensive work had been done to clean up the state capital and beautify the cities, even as he expressed happiness at the cooperation of the people of the state with his government.
“As we move traders from the streets, under the bridges and tension wire, we have commenced construction of neighbourhood markets with modern facilities where our traders and their clients can buy and sell with relative comfort,” he said.
He vowed that Ibadan, the state capital, and the whole of the state would soon rank among the cleanest places in Nigeria.
He noted that all the achievements so far recorded by his administration had been due to the support of the state House of Assembly.
In their remarks, four members of the House, cutting across all the political parties, commended the government for its positive impacts in the last 19 months in the lives of the people of the state.
Hon. Kolade Olagunju, an Accord Party legislator representing Akinyele I Constituency, praised the governor for his infrastructural and urban renewal efforts in the state, stating that when the governor began the renewal drive, it was painful to the people but now, the state had begun to see the positive effects of the government’s massive renewal efforts.
Also, a Peoples Democratic Party member representing Iwajowa Constituency, Hon. Farinto Fakorede, lauded Ajimobi’s infrastructural efforts but urged him to extend same to every nook and cranny of the state.
The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Olusegun Olaleye, compared the governor’s pro-poor policies to that of President Julius Nyerere.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, commended the governor for his visionary leadership and for the various development he had so far executed since he came on board.
She promised that her members would continue to support and cooperate with the executive arm of government in order to fast-track the repositioning of the state for maximum positive impact on the people.