Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday presented a budget estimate of N118.9 bn for the year 2016 to the Ondo State House of Assembly.
The Seventh of ‘A Caring Heart’ budget estimate has N68bn as recurrent and N50.990bn as Capital expenses
The budget estimate was N12,1bn less than that of year 2015 which was N131bn due to the downturn in the economy.
Presenting the budget to members of the state house of Assembly in Akure at the Hallowed Chamber with many dignitaries in attendance, Governor Olusegun Mimiko said the budget was down from 131 billion naira budgeted for last year.
He said this was due to the current economic realities and that government would place more emphasis on completing the on going projects.
He said his administration’s has become a cynosure of all eyes due to the various innovative home grown initiative like Abiye Safe Motherhood, Agbebiye, Orirewa, Trauma Centre, Kidney Care Center, Mother and Child Hospital and other world class facilities.
He commended the robust relationship his administration has benefited from other arms of government, the legislature and the judiciary which he said had provided the necessary impetus to drive the machinery of government to an enviable heights
The Governor also appreciated the support of the traditional rulers, religious leaders, public servants, civil society
He said his administration made steady progress on Akure-Oba-Ile-Airport road, Ondo Township road, Ikare-Ajowa Road, Igbokoda Township road several Mega schools projects Trauma Center, The DOME and Municipal water project in Ilaje Local Government despite the various challenges of the 2015 budget
Mimiko said there is need to reduce economically insignificant activities and wastage to bearest minimum and focus keenly on revenue generating activities
Mimiko said the objective of the 2016 budget is the completion of on-going development projects and programmes by making the most effective use of available resources.
He promised emplacement of sustainability structure for the projects /programas already completed as well as sustain the regime of peace being enjoyed in the state through provision of requisite support to security agencies for crime control and prevention.
The Governor also promised to encourage agriculture production as both food security initiative and a strategy for the expansion of the state’s productive capacity and wealth creation.
On the strategy for attaining the goals, Mimiko said aggressive Independent Revenue drive by all MDAs, blockage of revenue loopholes and allocation of funds to economic viable projects /programas, ensuring that total capital investment fund is allocated to government priority areas and maintainance of public infrastructural facilities.
Mimiko said his seven years administration has been wonderful and memorable and had striven Ernestly to live by his promises to work for the people of Ondo State added the state has benchmark globally in many initiative today.
He enjoined everybody in Ondo State to play their role effectively particularly in the area of paying taxes
Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele assured that the House will do justice to the budget proposal on time as he commended the wonderful performance of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in the past years. 8
