The Ondo State Government has budgeted N150 billion for its activities in 2012.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko who presented the 2012 budget tagged “A CARING HEART BUDGET III” to the State House of Assembly yesterday, said it is geared towards further consolidation of the present administration’s three years achievements.
The presented budget is N7 billion higher than the 2011 budget.
The governor said the budget is made up of N85.5 billion for capital expenditure while N64.5 billion is estimated for recurrent expenditure with the recurrent to capital expenditure ratio standing at 43:57 in line with best practices in budgeting for development.
The budget, he said, is to be serviced by expected N75 billion revenue from the Federation Account, the retained N12 billion internally generated revenue projections and N38 billion drawdown from the Bond issue, as well as external and internal sources, which will commence from this fiscal year among other sources.
A sector by sector analysis of the budget shows that road construction and maintenance take the lion share of N16.025 billion followed by education at N12.198 billion while health services is to be funded to the tune of N8.2 billion.
Others are agriculture, N3.7 billion; trade and industry, N3.3 billion; enhancement of electricity supply, N0.8 billion; social and community development, N6.6 billion; water supply, N3.6 billion; housing and environment, N6.7 billion; and administration of justice, N1.3 billion.
“One feature of the capital estimates for the 2012 fiscal year is the emphasis placed on completion of all ongoing developmental projects while only very important new initiatives were taken on board,” Mimiko said.
On other arms of government, N2.2 billion has been earmarked for the operation of the legislature to provide the needed impetus for the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people of the state, while over N1 billion has been provided to support the judicial arm for its operations.
Mimiko had, in reviewing the performance of the last budget, remarked that the judicial arm of government received enormous support in the course of the out-gone fiscal year.
Mimiko added: “The Court of Appeal, as well as the Customary Court of Appeal, effectively took off in the course of the year. Also, the National Industrial Court will soon commence operation in the state.
“At the workers level, a new Public Service Training Institute sited in Ifedore Local Government is nearing completion. The Institute has an International Governing Council and is set to produce world-class graduates.”
Noting that the performance of the 2011 budget started on a sluggish note on the revenue side, especially the expected revenue from Federation Account, Mimiko said the different classes of revenue is expected to improve as the year progresses, though the total sum generated, which stood at N118.997 billion, was N24.997 billion short of the projected sum of N143.500 billion last year.
The shortfall in revenue, Mimiko said, did not in any fundamental way prevent the government from recording appreciable success in the implementation of the 2011 Budget.
“On a general note, it is heartening to state that within this short period in the annals of this state, we have redefined governance; achieved a respectable level of infrastructural renewal; invested heavily in the productive capabilities of our people; and raised the bar in all sectors of governance,” he said.
Speaking on the current political situation in the state, he cautioned political leaders, irrespective of political affiliation, to guard their utterances for sustenance of peace in the state.
He said: “As we approach the electioneering period in the state, I wish to implore the people of Ondo State to conduct ourselves with decorum.
“Let me also call on the media to avoid mischief makers who are purveyors of misinformation in order to mislead the public.
“This state belongs to all of us, hence we should all work together to move it forward.”
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
