Mr Emmanuel Igbasan, Ondo Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, has said that the state’s 2020 budget will be targeted at promoting the people’s welfare.
Igbasan spoke on Monday in Akure, during a consultative meeting with private sector players, trade unions and professional bodies, in preparation for the 2020 budget.
He said that the state government had resolved to pattern the budget in such a way that policies and programmes would have positive impacts on the citizens.
The meeting was also used to discuss the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for the period of 2020 to 2022.
The commissioner expressed the state government’s preparedness to always prioritise the welfare of the people in its policy formulation and implementation.
He said that the government had constructed and renovated about 800 out of 1,325 public primary schools in the state.
Igbasan said the schools were provided with potable water, toilet facilities and modern learning equipment to ensure effective learning, while salaries had also been paid regularly.
“The government is committed toward industrializing the state; the Ore industrial hub project has already brought about five companies, these companies can employ no fewer than 25,000 persons.
“We have been able to improve the healthcare system in the state by increasing the number of Mother and Child hospitals to seven,” he said.
Igbasan also said that the governor was strongly committed to ensuring that the citizens’ rights and privileges were protected.
The commissioner said that more than 1,000 rural water systems had been completed through the Kamomi Aketi project, to provide potable water for the citizens.
He further stated that as part of efforts to improve agriculture, about 10,000 hectares of land had been acquired for allocation to interested farmers and youths.
Igbasan said that 600,000 seedlings of cocoa and 450 seedlings of cashew had been distributed to farmers to promote cash crop farming in the state.
“I urge various stakeholders in the state to contribute their quota by making inputs that will enable the government achieve set goals.
Earlier, Mr Bunmi Alade, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, said the meeting was to enable stakeholders to brainstorm on improved budget implementation and development template for the state.
Prominent among the views raised by stakeholders at the meeting is the need for collaboration to shore-up internal revenue generation for effective budget funding.
