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Nigeria: Assembly Raises Oyo Budget to N129 Billion

Ola Ajayi

24 December 2008

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THE Oyo State House of Assembly has added N8 billion to the 2009 budget which was presented to it about three weeks ago by the Governor ba Adebayo Alao-Akala. With the addition of N8 billion, the state is expected to spend about N129 billion in the 2009 fiscal year.

The state legislative arm made this known as it passed the budget yesterday.

The capital expenditure was increased from N70. 7 to N77.7 billion by the 32-member legislative arm. It also increased recurrent expenditure from N49.9 billion to N51.1 billion making the total of N128.8 billion.

Justifying the addition, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Moroof Atilola, said it became necessary to increase the budget because the House discovered that the people in the state were in need of life transforming projects, especially in agriculture, transport and works.

He added that the House deemed it fit to jerk up the budget having taken cognizance of the pitiable condition of many rural roads in the state.

The Speaker said: "We are closer to the grass roots. We know their plight and their immediate needs in the areas of road construction, transport and agriculture."

He gave kudos to his colleagues in the legislative arm for breaking the record in the expeditious passage of the budget.

According to him, this would be the first time when the state would witness such speedy passage of the budget.

The budget which was tagged "Budget of Consolidation" was sent by the governor about three weeks ago.

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