Osun Assembly Passes 179.2BN Appropriation Bill

The Osun House of Assembly has passed 2018 appropriation bill of N179.2 billion.

The passage of the budget followed a motion moved by the leader of house, Mr Timothy Owoeye and seconded by Mr Kamil Oyedele, the House Chairman on Finance and Appropriation at the plenary on Wednesday in Osogbo.

The budget as approved has N92.6 billion as capital expenditure, which represents 51.1 per cent and N86.6 billion as recurrent expenditure, which represents 48.9 per cent.

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had on Dec. 28, 2017 presented a budget of N173.9 bilion to the assembly.

The budget was jacked up by the parliament in the course of its consideration

Explaining the reason for the delay in the passage of the budget, Mr Najeem Salaam, the speaker of the house, said the lawmaker were being careful to present a budget that would be acceptable to the state.

Salaam urged the state governor to release the approved budget to Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government immediately funds is available.

He said this would allow the MDAs to function effectively.

The speaker also urged all revenue generating agencies to improve in their operations to enhance what the state is getting from the Federation’s account.

Speaking with newsmen men after the passage of the bill, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, House Committee Chairman on Information and Strategy, said that the budget was increased by N5.2 billion by the assembly.

Oyintiloye said the increase represents 3.03 per cent from the original budget presentated to the assembly by the governor.

The lawmaker said that he was satisfied with the approved budget christened ‘budget of enduring legacy’.

“It is a budget of hope with capital expenditure higher than the recurrent expenditure.

“With the sectoral allocation, I believe it is a budget for the common man, which is promising and achievable, if all hands will be on deck”, Oyintiloye said.

The lawmaker said that the assembly, through its standing committees would ensure proper implementation of the budget and its performance