. . . Promises timely completion of legacy projects

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Friday signed the 2022 Appropriation of ₦100, 753,993,241.60K into law with a promise to complete all ongoing legacy projects and consolidate on other achievements recorded in the past three years.

The 2022 Appropriation, christened “Budget of Legacy and Consolidation”, was presented to the Governor by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Funminiyi Afuye, at the Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti in the presence of the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Deputy Speaker, Hakeem Jamiu, and other members of the Executive Council and the legislators.

The budget with a percentage ratio of 60:40 recurrent to capital expenditure, according to Governor Fayemi was designed to complete the Ekiti Cargo Airport, the Ado-Iworoko section of the Ado-Ifaki Road, renovation of township roads, and the commencement of the construction of farm roads across the state.

Others included completion and equipping of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), construction and renovation of schools, provision of learning materials to students, completion of ongoing erosion and watershed management project, foundation laying for Ekiti Knowledge Zone and the Special Agriculture Processing Zone, among others.

The Governor added that the budget was also prepared to ensure that enduring legacies are handed over to successive governments with a clear blueprint of development plans to lift Ekiti into a period of sustained prosperity.

“The 2022 Budget, which has been tagged “Budget of Legacy and Consolidation” is an estimate of One Hundred Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty-three Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-One Naira, and Sixty Kobo (₦100, 753, 993, 241.60), with a 60% to 40%, recurrent to capital expenditure ratio.

“The budget has been designed to help us achieve our goal of finishing well, by consolidating the gains of the last three years, and handing over an enduring legacy to our successor government. It has been designed to ensure we complete most, if not all, of our capital projects, while also ensuring the day-to-day operations of Government continue to run smoothly,” he said.

The Government commended development partners for providing supports for the state Government during Covid-19 pandemic, fiscal crisis occasioned by lockdowns and revenue losses suffered by government.

He also expressed gratitude to the Speaker and members of Ekiti State House of Assembly for conducting necessary public hearings, budget scrutiny, and engaging of all the Ministries, Department and Agencies, (MDAs) to defend their respective estimates in the budget.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye, conveyed the satisfaction of state law makers with the budget preparation, adding that it reflected the yearnings and aspiration of the people of the State and was guided by strong fiscal policies with strategic focus on the five pillar of Governor Fayemi’s administration.

•PHOTO: L-R; Leader of the House, Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye: Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Chairman Appropriation Committee, Hon. Bunmi Adelugba; and Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Femi Ajayi; during the signing of 2022 Appropriation at the Exco chamber, Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti . . . on Friday.

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