Ondo begins citizens engagement on 2020 budget

The Ondo state government has reiterated its readiness to harness her abundant human and natural resources with a view to transforming the state to one of the most developed states in the country.

According to the government, this plan will be made possible through strategic implementation of projects and programmes in the state.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan, gave this hint at the second edition of the ministry’s consultative meeting with different interest groups on Monday in Akure.

Igbasan said the consultative meetings with different groups and non- governmental organisations on the 2020 budget and 2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) were part of government’s inclusive governance.

He said that it s in continuation of the steps by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration in the state that necessitated strategic consultative engagement process with relevant organisations for the preparation of the state budget.

According to him, the state budget now assumes bottom up approach, whereby government executes what the people really need and not what government thinks they need.

Igbasan said the interaction would enable government to capture areas of top priority of the groups, while it would also help foster better relationships with the people and create awareness of what government is doing to enable them take ownership of the process.

The commissioner noted that the budget is not just arbitrary figures, but represents the translation of government’s promises and manifestos into concrete projects and programmes.

Igbasan reiterated the unalloyed commitment of the Akeredolu-led administration to always make the well -being of people the central focus of government activities, reiterating that most of the issues raised at last year’s edition of consultative meeting with persons with disabilities have been attended to by the government.

The commissioner stated that the governor has appointed a special adviser on persons with disability while a board for the group has also been constituted.

He therefore, called on various organisations and groups in the society to come up with their priorities and contributions to achieve an all-inclusive budget that would develop the state and improve the living standard of the people. (NAN)