Oyetola Signs 2021 Appropriation Bill Into Law

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State on Tuesday signed the 2021 Appropriation Bill into law at the Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, the state capital.

The budget size is about N109 billion.

According to the governor, the year 2021 would witness a new phase of a massive transformation that would take the state to higher levels.

He also said the budget would offer greater hope of job opportunities; improved welfare for all; human, capital, and massive infrastructure development than the previous year.

While signing the Appropriation Bill in his office, Oyetola assured that the 2021 budget would perform far better than that of 2020 which recorded over 90 percent performance despite COVID-19 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 the administration’s commitment to employing creative and probity strategies in the implementation of the budget to effect maximum performance.

Oyetola maintained that the government would do everything possible to ensure proper deployment of available resources, cutting 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 Year 2021 budget had been creatively appropriated and designed to meet the present socio-economic 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 for capital and 46 percent for recurrent expenditure allocations respectively, and creative income strategies.

“It is heartening that, less than one and half months, after presenting the 2021 budget to the House of Assembly, that is precisely on November 10, 2020, we are gathered here for the signing of the Appropriation Bill into law.

“I thank the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, and other honourable members of the House for the speedy passage of the budget. By this act, the Assembly has once again proved itself as a people-oriented and development-conscious House. 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 birthed by the employment of creative and probity strategies, including the 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 we are signing today offers more hope that we are set to perform even better during the year. With 54 percent capital and 46 percent expenditure allocations respectively and creative income strategies, we are on the path of delivering more on our Development Agenda, which is our pact with the people.

“I would like to thank Mr. Speaker, other members of the House, members of the Executive Council, all political appointees, and the good people of the State of Osun for their understanding and sacrifice without which our strategies for performance would have been unrealisable.

“I urge us all 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.

“Delivering our Development Agenda for the purpose of building sustainable development is an irrevocable goal and the 2021 budget is a critical component of its building bricks.

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

While presenting the Year 2021 Appropriation Bill to the Governor for signing, the Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, commended the Governor for his sterling performance in the implementation of the 2020 budget.

He lauded the Governor’s prudence, probity, and accountability in the management of the State’s economy over the years.

He 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.

Owoeye expressed confidence in the ability of the executive arm to ensure adequate implementation of the Year 2021 budget for the good and betterment of the people and the state.

Also speaking, 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 Governor Oyetola inspite of the challenges witnessed during the year.

He said the 2021 budget was prepared based on realistic and stringent conditions to meet the statutory obligations.