Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Ondo State governor, on Friday, signed the 2024 Appropriation bill shortly after it was passed into law by the state House of Assembly.
Tagged: “Budget of Economic Resilience”, Aiyedatiwa, while presenting a total of N384,533,000,000.00 before the parliament last week Thursday, stated that the bill would provide the financial guidepost for the state’s fiscal operation in the year 2024.
He said, “In line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, I am delighted today to give assent to the Ondo State 2024 Appropriation Bill, which will provide the financial guidepost for the State’s fiscal operation in 2024.
“You will all recall that on Thursday, 21st December 2023, I presented the 2024 Budget Estimates of N384b, christened Budget of Economic Resilience, to the State House of Assembly for legislative consideration. The House, in its characteristic devotion to our people’s cause, has painstakingly considered the Budget and passed same.
“After extensive deliberation involving interface with all MDAs and the Judiciary, the size of the approved Budget for 2024 stands at Three Hundred and Ninety-Five Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty-Seven Million Naira (N395,257,000,000.00) only,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa appreciated the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, for the detailed scrutinisation and prompt passage of the 2024 Appropriation bill, stressing that the present administration had enjoyed a very cordial relationship with the state legislature.
“As we keep implementing people-centred projects and programmes in line with our REDEEMED Agenda, we would continue to improve on our revenue drive while cutting down on our recurrent costs in view of the prevailing economic realities.
“The focus of this budget, as said in my budget speech, is human capital development. Emphasis would also be placed on climate change, clean and sustainable environment, rural development and food security while ongoing legacy infrastructural projects of our dear departed Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON would be completed,” Aiyedatiwa added.
Earlier, the assembly had passed the 2024 appropriation bill into law, raising the total estimates from the proposed N385 billion to N395,257,000. 000, with an increase of over N10 billion.
The Informant247 reports that the acting governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was sworn in as the governor, succeeding the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The swearing-in was held at the government house, Alagbaka, in Akure, the state capital.
It was administered by the chief judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, at 5:18 pm.
Recall that Akeredolu was pronounced dead in the early hours of Wednesday after a long battle with prostate cancer and leukaemia.
