Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has dissociated himself from any calls for a reduction of the minimum wage of N18,000 for Nigerian workers.

“I am not speaking for the Governors’ forum or for anybody at all. I am only speaking for myself as the Governor of Ogun State and I am saying that I am not party to any calls for a downward review of the national minimum wage,” Governor Amosun said.

The Ogun State governor who stated this on Tuesday while presenting the 2016 budget appropriation bill before the Ogun State House of Assembly said he was quite aware of the financial challenges currently facing some states of the federation but added that what is required is for the states to look inward and be creative.

Amosun presented the 2016 Budget estimate before the Ogun State House of Assembly, resolving to minimise costs and maximise capacity to generate revenues.

While presenting a budget of N200.27bn, the breakdown of which shows capital expenditure accounting for N99.29Billion (49.6%) and recurrent expenditure of N100.98 Billion (50.4%), the governor said: “We placed great emphasis on capital expenditure during our first term, in line with our development objectives.

“Our emphasis has now shifted a little and the budget this year is balanced between capital and recurrent expenditure. This budget mix will support both the maintenance of existing infrastructure and allow the continued execution of more capital projects.”

Education got the lion’s share of the budget with 20.06 per cent of the budget followed by rural and infrastructural development with 15.50 per cent while affordable housing and urban renewal came third with a 13.27 per cent share of the budget.

In the education sector, the governor said, “We will focus on the provision of basic infrastructural facilities, rehabilitating the dilapidated ones and building new ones. In addition, teachers’ training and development programmes will be intensified.

“Our administration will also continue to be responsible for the registration of students of Government Science and Technical Colleges in the state for National Technical Certificate/National Business Certificate (NTC/NBC) examinations and also for the procurement of science practical equipment.

“Similarly, West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fee for all final year students in public secondary schools will also continue to be our responsibility...We will also continue to provide adequate furniture for teachers and students.”

The Ogun State governor also enumerated what his administration intends to achieve in the area of rural and infrastructural development. In this sector, the focus is largely on roads some of which are billed to be completed within the 2016 fiscal year while others may spill into the following year due to their length or scope of work.

Some of the roads mentioned in this regards include the OGTV/Brewery Road (8.7km); Ojere Adatan Road (9km); Ejirin/Oluwalogbon Road (9km) ; Sagamu Benin Express/Oba Erinwole (7km); Ilo-Awela Road (7.6km) ; Lafenwa Ayetoro Road (34km); Ilisan Ago-Iwoye Road (26km); Moshood Abiola Way (6.1km); Ofada/Mowe/Ibafo Road (29km); Papalanto/Ilaro Fed Poly Road (22.7km); Atan-Agbara/Lusada-Igbesa/AlapotiRoad (37.65km); Sango/Ijoko/Ojodu-Abiodun road (43km); Lafenwa Enugada-Adatan Road (7km); Magboro Underpass (12km); Ikangba/Ilese/Imusin/Ife/Itele/Ogbere 45km; Ilara/Ijohun/Ilase Road (110km) among several others.

Governor Amosun added that the state government will also vigorously pursue the implementation of its Light Rail project connecting major towns in the three Senatorial Districts of Ogun.

To fulfil his commitments in the area of affordable housing and urban renewal, Governor Amosun said the 2016 fiscal year will witness commencement of work on major projects like the design of Abeokuta City Centre, provision of an Industrial Estate at Agbara covering 500 hectares of land as well as the construction of MITROS City in Abeokuta, Sagamu and Isheri. He added that the state government is also planning the development of housing estates at Sagamu, Ikenne, Ijebu-Ode as well as the execution of the proposed development of ten (10) hectares of land at Kemta off Ajebo road in Abeokuta through Public Private-Partnership.

Tagged, Budget of Optimisation, the governor said the 2016 budget will be financed mainly through internally generated revenue which will account for 53.93 per cent of the State’s source of income.

•Photo shows Governor Amosun addressing Ogun lawmakers . . . yesterday in Abeokuta.

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