Oyetola Signs 2021 Appropriation Bill into Law

Oyetola Signs 2021 Appropriation Bill into Law

Says his administration will take Osun to higher level

By Yinka Kolawole

The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, yesterday signed the 2021 Appropriation Bill into law, which is a budget of about N109 billion.

This is just as he said 2021 would witness a new phase of massive transformation that would take the state to a higher level.

The governor said the budget would offer greater hope of job opportunities, improved welfare for all, human, capital and massive infrastructural development than the previous year.

While signing the Appropriation Bill in his office at the Government Secretariat in Osogbo, Oyetola assured the state that the 2021 budget would perform better than that of the 2020, which recorded over 90 percent performance despite the incidences of COVID-19 induced lockdown and the #EndSARS protest.

The governor said his administration was resolved to follow time-tested economic principles to enhance optimum results of the 2021 budget.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to employ probity and creative strategies in the implementation of the budget in order to effect maximum performance.

Oyetola maintained that the state government would do everything possible to ensure proper deployment of available resources, cutting of costs and plugging of wastes for adequate and efficient service delivery next year.

The governor, who described the budget as a product of reality, said modalities had been put in place to ensure that the budget offers more hope, as the government is determined to perform better than before.

He said the 2021 budget had been creatively appropriated and designed to meet the present socioeconomic realities and statutory obligations of the government.

According to him, the state was on the path of delivering its development agenda in the year 2021 with 54 percent of the budget being for capital and 46 percent for recurrent expenditure allocations respectively, as well as creative income strategies.

Oyetola said: “It is heartening that less than one and half months, after presenting the 2021 budget to the House of Assembly, we are gathered here for the signing of the Appropriation Bill into law.

“I thank the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, and other honourable members of the Assembly for the speedy passage of the budget. By this act, the Assembly has once again proved itself as a people-oriented and development-conscious one. I thank you all for your service to the state.

“I am proud to announce that the 2020 budget recorded over 90 percent performance, and the results were demonstrated in the massive delivery of programmes and projects across the state during the year, despite the fact that the government was only able to perform for less than six months because of the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and the #EndSARS protest.

“The performance of the 2020 budget was aimed at the employment of probity and creative strategies, including efficient deployment of available resources, cutting costs and plunging wastes to deliver service in a depressed economy. Let me stress that we are resolved to follow this time-tested principle for optimum results in 2021.

“The 2021 budget, which we are signing today (yesterday), offers more hope that we are set to perform even better during the year. With 54 percent capital and 46 percent expenditure allocations respectively as well as creative income strategies, we are on the path of delivering more on our development agenda, which is our pact with the people.

“I urge us to prepare to work harder as we resolve to efficiently implement the 2021 budget which is intended to further deliver prosperity for our people, provide jobs and opportunities for our youths, deliver more infrastructure and put our dear state on a sound footing.

“Signing this Appropriation Bill into law is an invitation to all of us to roll up our sleeves and work together to achieve our set objectives.”

While presenting the 2021 Appropriation Bill to the governor to sign, the Speaker, Owoeye, commended the governor for his ‘sterling performance’ in the implementation of the 2020 budget.

He lauded Oyetola’s prudency, probity and accountability in the management of the state’s economy over the years.

The Speaker added that the governor had performed excellently well in the implementation of the 2020 budget in spite of the socio-economic challenges occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Olalekan Yinusa, maintained that the success of the 2020 budget was due to the ingenuity and proactiveness of the governor in spite of the challenges witnessed during the year.

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