Ogun State, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said “no vanity project” will feature in the 2020 budget.
The Governor who spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday assured that cognizance had been taken to eliminate “White Elephant projects” or any such project that would boost the public perception of any political actor in the State.
“We must realise that our responsibilities to the people of our State go beyond channeling efforts towards the routine patterns for the use of public resources of those in power, he added.
The Governor added, “We must devise a system of strategic allocation of resources which ensure that politics is secondary. Projects and programmes of government in the first budget that we are preparing would have impact on the people who are the real essence of government”.
He spoke while declaring open the 2020 Treasury Board meeting held at the Oba’s Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Abiodun noted that public servants duties go beyond merely allocation of resources, but to programmes that make meaning to people’s lives.
He challenged public servants to join him to devise ways of allocating resources to government policies, projects and programmes that have direct impact on the lives of the people “and not those meant to message people’s ego.”
“All the expenditures are going to be targeted at programmes and projects aimed at continuous development of our State and creating more prosperity for the people. In doing this, we will be achieving the mission of our administration, as embodied in the building our future together agenda”, he said.
The Governor said the meeting which was the first Budget of the present administration, was the climax of the planning process which involved sensitisation programme on the vision and focus of government as well as Town Hall meetings in the three Senatorial Districts.
“The process for the preparation of year 2020 Budget started with sensitisation programme on the vision and mission of government. It was followed with town hall meetings in the three Senatorial Districts”, he said.
The Governor said the town hall meetings held across the three Senatorial districts had provided a veritable platform to meet with the people, adding that the meetings also provided opportunity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially as it concerns inclusiveness, gender equality, peace, Justice and Partnership to achieve the goals.
He said the meeting was an opportunity to consolidate on the gains of democracy, adding that it would also allow his government to integrate plans of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies to attain qualitative and comprehensive visible public expenditure profile.
Abiodun lauded Public Servants for the effective implementation of the 2019 Budget, attributing it to their commitment, professionalism, diligence and dedication, urging them not to rest on their oars as the attainment of the optimum welfare of the indigenes and those who have made the State their home, irrespective of their social status, religion or political affiliations rest on them.
In his welcome address, the Consultant to the Governor on Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan, said the State for the first time has declared the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), noting that this would reduce the gap between the request of the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) and improved estimates, while means that Budget outcomes would be more predictable and the MDAs more confident in their planning.
