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Ahead of 2020 fiscal estimates preparation, Ogun State government has laid bare its focus and effort to achieving a zero-based budgeting system in which all expenses – capital and recurrent expenditures – are justifiably spent, while the capital projects and resources are even distributed across the 20 local government areas of the state.
With these focus and effort, Governor Dapo Abiodun believes that a sustainable economic platform will be created where ease of doing business will be improved; investments and wealth will be created, just as conducive business and economic climate will be created for effective and speedy economic growth and development.
The governor has therefore, tasked its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on strategic policies and expenditure framework for greater responsibility in allocation of the state’s resources in accordance with the state’s focus on holistic economic growth and development.
Speaking through his Consultant on Budget and Planning, Olaolu Olabimtan, at a workshop organised for stakeholders in the Information, Culture, Religion and Public Order Sectors of the state in Abeokuta, Governor Dapo Abiodun declared that the economic realities have shown that economic tools such as scale of preference and opportunity cost should be applied while undertaking all government’s obligations in order to leave anyone out to suffer.
The governor said that his administration is committed to adopting World Class Public Financial Management System with the aim of developing a consistent framework that would improve the allocation of resources to strategic priorities within the major sectors in the state through the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) which is a three year fiscal plan.
He said there was need to deviate from the practice of the past, where budgeting processes by MDAs ended at developing sectoral strategies for resource allocation, without linking such strategies to government policies, planning and budgeting.
He expressed concerns that, where the budgetary projections of MDAs were inconsistent with government policies and priorities, they were bound to suffer setback.
“I wish to advise that you move further from the Medium Sectoral Strategy Framework (MSSF) you have been used to, and begin to match ambition with reality, recognise critical areas that required urgent attention, since there are limited resources,” he said.
Olabimtan added that, planning was an absolute prerequisite to achieving a workable expenditure framework, while sector strategies and policies must be cost and forward estimates must be prepared for government to deliver on its agenda of good governance and efficient service delivery to people of the sate.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Hassan Adekunle, said he had no doubt about the quality of the State Civil Service to deliver, even on seemingly difficult tasks, noting that lack of consistency and synergy had been major setback to preparing workable Medium Term Expenditure Framework.
Adekunle challenged stakeholders to roll up their sleeves to give their best towards assisting government prioritise its strategies for efficient service delivery.
Razaq Ayinla
