Ondo MDAs Promise Improved Services in 2026 as Budget Defence Continues
By Oyeniwa Elizabeth
The 2026 budget defence sessions at the Ondo State House of Assembly entered Day 2 on Wednesday with Ministries, Departments Agencies (MDAs) and Institutions expressing confidence that residents will enjoy improved services and infrastructure in the coming year once the proposed financial plan is passed into law.
Some top bureaucrats who appeared before House Committee on finance and appropriation said the proposal was carefully structured to address present economic realities and reposition the state for sustainable development.
Speaking after defending his ministry’s proposal, the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Olawoye Ayorinde, said the 2026 budget was not put together hastily but crafted to meet the needs and expectations of residents.
According to him, the plan will ensure the completion of ongoing infrastructural projects across the state while also prioritizing affordable housing for low- and middle-income earners.
Ayorinde disclosed that several housing programmes had been captured in the 2026 proposal, including new building construction, housing units for civil servants, and the legislative building projects among others.
He added that the ministry was working to secure land for the ongoing low-cost housing scheme aimed at making home ownership accessible to more families.
“We also have urban renewal projects, judiciary complexes, legislative quarters and office complexes captured in the new budget,” he said.
The Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of Owena Press Limited, publishers of The Hope titles, ,Mr Kayode Fasua also defended the corporation’s submission. He appreciated the Governor for supporting the repositioning of the state-owned newspaper, noting that its digital edition now reaches over 50,000 readers daily.
He said the organisation had restored its printing machine and launched Hope Magazine, adding that improved government backing would help the publication attain national prominence.
In the health sector, Commissioner for Health,Dr. Banji Ajaka, said the government is committed to consolidating the steady progress already recorded.
He urged people in the informal sector to embrace available healthcare programmes to improve their wellbeing.
Ajaka highlighted ongoing upgrades across health institutions, including support for the House of Assembly Clinic.
Also speaking after his defence, the Rector of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), Olorunwa Adegun, described the 2026 budget as a “great blessing,” expressing optimism that it would support the implementation of the new minimum wage and drive development across the institution.
Commissioner for Energy, Alabi Johnson, assured residents that the coming year would bring significant improvement to power supply and energy-related infrastructure.
In an interview, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said the Assembly had already attended to over 40 MDAs since the exercise commenced.
He restated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s assurance that no project would be abandoned in 2026, describing the proposed budget as one designed to deliver a major turnaround across sectors.
Ogunmolasuyi also addressed concerns over budget performance, noting that while some MDAs complain of poor releases, available documents often show they received warrants that were not fully cashed.
“Budget is an estimate. MDAs must ensure that warrants issued to them are followed through, so they can access what has been approved,” he said.
He added that despite the drop in FAAC receipts, the committee remains optimistic that 2026 will be “a wonderful year for the people of Ondo State.”
The lawmaker reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to protecting the interests of constituents across all 26 constituencies.
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