ADO-EKITI – Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti on Monday presented a budget of N80.77 billion for the 2015 fiscal year to the House of Assembly.
Fayose, in the budget christened, “Budget of Reality”, said the 2015 budget was N23 billion lower than that of 2014 budget of N103.8 billion.
He said that the capital and recurrent expenditure were put at N31.9billion and N48.7billion, respectively.
He said the budget would be sourced from Federal Allocation, IGR, VAT, External Grants, MDG’s Conditional Grants, Loans, Ecological Fund, Excess Crude oil proceeds, among others.
The governor, however, described the 2014 budget as a “failure’’, having achieved only 65 per cent performance.
Fayose announced free education up to secondary school levels, free health for pregnant women, children of age 0-5 as well as handicapped persons.
He said that his administration would not accommodate any projects that would not be completed within the year under review.
According to him, his administration will give priority to regular payment of workers’ salaries, empowerment of Ekiti people to excel in their chosen endeavours.
Fayose listed other areas to include sustainable economic prosperity and ensuring accelerated development of all towns and communities.
He said that attention would also be given to good quality roads, public buildings and airport.
He said that flyover at Ado-Ekiti and extension of railway line to Ekiti in partnership with Federal Government would be achieved within the year under review.
Fayose said that the popular Oja Oba, (Kings Market) in Ado-Ekiti would be reconstructed in replicate of Tejuosho market in Lagos, while agriculture would be given special attention during the year.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that only seven of the 26 lawmakers were at the chamber where the budget was presented amid tight security.
NAN reports that Fayose shortly before the presentation insisted that Mr Dele Olugbemi (PDP Ikole I) remained Speaker of the assembly
He said that Olugbemi would remain in office till the next five months when the tenure of present lawmakers in the state would expire.
The four-year tenure of the present lawmakers would expire in June, 2015.
“I can assure you that no individual or group of people from within or outside the state will be allowed to either run the state for us or make our tenure ungovernable.
“We shall resist them with all the power in us, using whatever strategy,’’ he said.
Responding on behalf of the lawmakers, Mr Dele Olugbemi, promised that the assembly would give the budget accelerated attention in the interest of Ekiti people. (NAN)
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