We Have Never Prepared Budget Without Citizens’ Involvement-Osun Commissioner For Budget

Osun state Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, Dr. Olalekan Yinusa has disclosed that the state has not been preparing its budget without adequate consultation with the citizens.

He made this disclosure during a day validation meeting of the state development plan(2019-2028) and year 2019 budget consultation forum in Damol Events and Conference Centre, by Ilesa West Local Government Secretariat, Osogbo Road, Ilesa on Tuesday, October 22, 2018.

According to him, “Budget 2019 is about to commence and circular has been issued to Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA), citizens of Osun are to add what should be given priority in its preparation.

He said that the forum has been invited to validate the state development plan started in January at Iloko Ijesa where development partners like UNDP, EU, DFID,UNICEF, civil societies, market men and women leadership, labour union leadership, media and others were brought together in order to create a vision and mission for the state by identifying people’s priorities in planning.

In his contribution, the coordinator of EU sponsored State, Local Government Reform Project (SLOGOR), Mr. Yemi Ijidele lauded the State Commissioner for Economic Planning in making the Ministry to comply with the recent global practice of budget planning and implementation in which people are involved in preparation. He said, there is linkage between budget and people which has made efficiency possible.

He added that the international community expected Government to be accountable and transparent. Thus, he lauded Osun State for joining the comity of States in Nigeria that has started citizens budget rather than Government budget in an inclusive budgeting.

In the presentation by the Ministry, Mrs Yetunde Esan relayed the reasons for State Development Project, the framework of what the State should be expected to be within the next 10 years.