Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has stated that wide consultations would be held with relevant stakeholders on the 2021 budget to arrive at the most suited for the people and overall development of the state.
Makinde stated this while speaking at a consultative stakeholders meeting on the development of the state held on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
He assured the people of the state that his administration would continue to embark on people oriented projects.
The governor also said that the consultative meetings would be held in the seven geopolitical zones of the state so as to ensure that people in the communities were involved in the budgeting process.
The governor further stated that his government remained focus in spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and would sustain the provision of some planned infrastructural projects through the Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA).
“Still, we have found ways of ensuring that some planned infrastructural projects could still be carried out.
“For example, we introduced the Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA), where the contractor executes the entire project with their own money before the government repays over several budgeting cycles.
“The ongoing reconstruction of the 21km Airport Road-Ajia-New Ife Express Road with a spur to Amuloko and the remodeling of Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, are products of this funding approach.
“We also have the Contractor’s Project Financing Scheme, through this scheme, Oyo state contributes an initial percentage of the contract sum while the contractor brings the rest.
“The government, then, has the grace of paying over several budgeting cycles.
“The recently flagged off ‘Light Up Oyo State’ (Phase 2) project is being facilitated using this financing model.
“We also embarked on targeted borrowing. We are grateful to the State Legislature led by Debo Ogundoyin for signing off on infrastructural loans.
“We have begun constructions such as the bus terminals at Iwo Road, New Ife Road, Challenge and Ojoo in Ibadan; the remodeling of OYSADA headquarters at Saki, Oke-Ogun; Upgrading of Primary Healthcare Centres and other healthcare facilities.”Makinde stated.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Adeniyi Farinto, said the consultative meeting on 2021 budget, was a further attestation to the all-inclusive nature of governance under the present administration in Oyo state.
He said that the present administration in the state has resolved to enshrine the principle of equity and participatory approach to government.
Farinto posited that a stakeholders’ meeting of such nature was a genuine platform where all opinions would not only be explored but would be critically examined for the growth and development of the state.
According to him, having a people-oriented budget had always been the priority of the Makinde-led administration.
He said that a government that was run with the understanding and inputs of the people was a practical expression of transparency and good governance.
The commissioner also declared that the approach of the current administration in the state had opened doors of benefits, which would be more visible in due course.
Farinto, therefore, charged community leaders and other representatives present at the meeting to come up with strategic programmes and articulate initiatives as well as suggestions that would take the state to her pacesetting mode.
He asserted that the stakeholders’ contributions were critical in the initiation, formulation, and execution of people-oriented budgets, assuring that the people’s inputs would count in the development of programmes and projects in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that top government functionaries, traditional rulers, religious and market leaders, representatives of various organisations and other notable dignitaries attended the meeting.
