From Kayemo News
The Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, has presented a proposed budget of N490.74 billion for the 2027 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
The presentation was made on Thursday at the Assembly chamber in Ado-Ekiti, in accordance with Section 124, Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
Christened the “Budget of Sustained Progress and Prosperity,” the proposed budget, according to Governor Oyebanji, was carefully designed to consolidate the achievements of his administration and lay a solid foundation for the next four years.
The governor said the proposal was also aligned with the state’s 30-year development plan, covering the period from 2021 to 2051.
The 2027 budget comprises N275.68 billion for recurrent expenditure and N215.06 billion for capital expenditure.
Governor Oyebanji said the budget would focus on the six pillars of his administration, including education and healthcare; good governance and transparency; arts, culture and tourism; youth and job creation; infrastructure and industrialisation; as well as agriculture and rural development.
He added that the proposal would further consolidate the gains recorded under his administration’s Shared Prosperity Agenda, while providing a framework for sustained development across the state.
Earlier, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, commended the governor for the proposed budget, saying it reflected the aspirations and needs of the people as expressed during town hall engagements across the state’s three senatorial districts.
He assured the governor that the Assembly would give the budget the thorough attention it deserved.
He said, “As we receive this Bill today, the Assembly will approach its legislative review with patriotism, objectivity, and thoroughness. Our scrutiny will rest on key imperatives:
“Constitutionality and Legality: Ensuring alignment with Section 121 of the Constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility Law, and extant financial regulations;
“Realism of Revenue Projections: Verifying that expected revenue sources are achievable and grounded in economic reality;
“Stakeholder Engagement: Guaranteeing that the public hearing process captures input from constituents and civil society;
“Equity and Spread: Ensuring equitable distribution of projects across the three Senatorial Districts, sixteen Local Governments, and twenty-two Local Council Development Areas;
“Prioritisation: Balancing Recurrent and Capital Expenditure to address the critical needs of our people.
“Where cooperation is required, we shall cooperate. Where scrutiny is required, we shall scrutinise. Where accountability is required, we shall demand it. This is not contradiction; it is constitutional democracy at work”.
The presentation was witnessed by the wife of the governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji; Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye; members of the State Executive Council; traditional rulers and other government officials and stakeholders.