The Traditional rulers in Owo and Ose Local Government areas of Ondo State have commended Dr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, for the over 280 infrastructural developments which his administration executed in their various communities.
Vanguard reports that the traditional rulers spoke in Owo at a consultative meeting organised by the state Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget. The Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye was represented by the Ojumu of Owo, High Chief Olarewaju Famakinwa, The traditional ruler said the people of the state were particularly grateful to Akeredolu for changing the face of many towns and villages with road construction and other laudable projects.
According to NAN reports, the meeting was part of the 2020 budget preparation and the 2020-2022 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). In his own address, the Alani of Idoani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, also said that he was impressed by the governor’s infrastructure development across the state. Olutoye said the people of the area were going to reciprocate Akeredolu’s good governance of the state by massively voting for his second term bid during the next governorship election in 2020.
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Earlier in his address, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Emmanuel Igbasan, said that the present government had executed more than 280 projects in the two Local Government Areas.
According to Igbasan, these projects include constructions and rehabilitation of roads as well as boreholes through ‘Kamomi Aketi’ Accelerated Water Scheme. Others are rehabilitation and construction of public primary schools, health facilities, distribution of agricultural seedlings and inputs, among others.
Igbasan, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Bunmi Alade, said the interaction would enable the government to always go for people’s top priority projects.
He added that it would foster a better relationship and improve public awareness of the government’s policies, programmes, and achievements.
Igbasan said Akeredolu had laid a solid foundation for sustainable development with the 2018 budget while the 2019 budget was built on the modest achievements of the 2018 budget.
He added that the 2020 budget would focus on projects that would have positive impacts and transform the lives of the citizens, particularly youths and women through agriculture, micro, small and medium scale enterprises among others.
Igbasan stated that the state government developed the bottom-up approach in its budget preparation to accommodate the interest of various groups and embark on projects that were chosen by the people, a clear departure from past administrations.
In his opening remarks, the Director of Budget, Mr. Stephen Aworere, said the forum was meant to enhance transparency and accountability in the budget preparation process of the states.
He stated that the rationale behind the adoption of MTEF was to achieve accurate estimation of resources available to the state within the medium-term planning horizon. The meeting was attended by caretaker chairmen in the zone, market women, non-governmental organisations, youth leaders, farmers, and other stakeholders.