Ondo Assembly Round-off 2025 Budget Defense
By Awodeyi Elizabeth
Ondo State House of Assembly has rounded off the year 2025 budget defence for Ministries, Departments,and Agencies, including higher institutions in the State.
The three days exercise which was held at the Assembly’s mini chamber, had all heads of MDAs defended their next year’s proposals according to their schedules
The defence started on Wednesday with Executives and Accounting officers of various MDAs assuring that the people of the State will have no cause to worry in the coming year, as the 2025 budget proposal when passed into law, will definitely address the present economic reality .
In an interview with The Hope shortly after the closing of the budget defense,the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi appreciated all MDAs and other stakeholders for their cooperation during the programme, describing the exercise as engaging and fruitful.
He informed that the Committee took a critical look at the budget proposal, scrutinised it ,while the MDAs shared their concerns.
Ogunmolasuyi explained that MDAs not only defended their spending expenditures before the committee, but presented some teething problems they face in achieving their goals.
Ogunmolasuyi who is also the majority leader of the house, expressed the belief that the 2025 proposed budget after it is carefully scrutinised and passed into law, would address many issues, especially the effect of subsidy removal in petrol and enhance the living standard of the residents.
He said that the Committee will go back to review the defense and wrap it up in alignment with the new template , assuring that after doing the internal work for not less than a week, the budget will be passed.
Earlier, in an interview, the Commissioner For Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan explained that the budget proposal was carefully planned to meet the yawning of the masses.
Igbasan stressed that the proposed working document is expected to improve all sectors of the economy in the coming year.
Represented by the Administrative Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Stephen Aworere, he noted that the budget defense was successful, commending Members of the house committee on appropriation on the way they have demonstrated real knowledge of budget, in scrutinizing the defense.
“The committee did not entertain frivolous request from MDAs.They were also able to maintained their stand even where we disagree “.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Akogun Olugbenga Omole said that the Ministry is going to have more policy and law on transportation in the State, which is very important to guide the people.
“Also, presently Akure and Ado Ekiti are the only States in the South that are not connected by rail, and Mr Governor has been looking into it, very soon we are going to start physical mapping where the rail tract will pass through”.
Other MDAs in an interview promised to work assiduously towards achieving the set goal.
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