Ogun to spend N1.5trn in three years

…as lawmakers approve 2023-2025 MTEF

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved the state’s 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), barely a week after acknowledging a request for legislative approval of the proposal from the state government.

The approval will ensure a well-coordinated process of planning and budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year(s).

The process of its passage saw the lawmakers unanimously approving a total budget of N472.25billion for the next fiscal year, N501.98billion for 2024 financial year and N529.90billion for the year 2025.

The passage of the three-year budget frameworks was consequent upon the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation by its Chairman, Hon. Olakunle Sobunkanla, who thereafter moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by Hon. Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye and supported by the Whole House through a unanimous voice vote.

The process saw to the clause-by-clause reading and adoption of the sectorial allocations before the lawmakers at plenary presided by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The motion for its passage was later moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Abayomi Fasuwa; after which Speaker Oluomo directed the Clerk of the House and Head of Legislative Service, Mr. ‘Deji Adeyemo, to convey the clean copy of the approved MTEF to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his assent.

Earlier, the Speaker had acknowledged the correspondence of Governor Abiodun conveying the nomination of the Auditor-General nominee, Balogun Akorede to the Assembly for approval, with an invitation to the nominee to appear before the lawmakers for screening on Thursday, 22nd September, 2022 at the Conference Room of the Assembly by 2:00pm. 

The letter partly reads: “I write to inform Mr. Speaker and all members of the Honourable House that the erstwhile Auditor-General for the State, Mr. S.B Olubanjo statutorily retired from active service on 17th June, 2022. Sequel to this, it becomes imperative to appoint another Auditor General in furtherance of the Building our Future Together agenda of this administration.”

Oluomo added that the nominee was expected to submit 30 copies of his curriculum vitae and other credentials to the Office of the Clerk and Head of Legislative Service by noon tomorrow, Wednesday 21st, September 2022.