Oyetola presents N152bn budget, promises full payment of salaries

Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun on Thursday presented the sum of N152, 756, 088, 830 before the Osun House of Assembly as the fiscal proposal for 2019.

He also promised that workers’ salary would now be paid promptly and in full.

The governor, during the budget presentation, said the era of modulated salaries had ended and workers and pensioners would now be paid full salaries and pensions as and when due.

Oyetola, who tagged the fiscal proposal as ‘Budget of Hope’, said it was largely hinged on consolidation of social security protection and welfare programmes of the immediate past administration.

He said N91, 957,496,420 would be spent on capital projects, while N15,870,175,600 would be spent on recurrent expenditure.

A further breakdown of the budget reveals that the sum of N36,928,416,810 would also be spent on personnel during the fiscal year.

It was reported that projections on raising the money for the budget were hinged on statutory allocation from the Federal Government, crude oil payments, internally generated revenue and tax.

The sum of N150,298,379,020 was projected to be sourced internally and externally, comprising all the projections of the administration in raising fund for the budget.

It was reported that the health sector, education, infrastructure, agriculture and rural development would be given priority in the budget.

The governor stated that the budget was a product of deliberations with stakeholders across the state.

Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, in his remarks, said the budget presentation was special, being the first for the Oyetola administration and the last for the lawmakers.

Salaam described the governor as a man with a clear vision and imbued with principles.

He added that the proposed budget clearly indicated that the governor was working in the light of current realities.

The Speaker thereafter called for the laying of the budget by the governor, promising that the house would ensure due deliberation on the proposal.