The Governor’s Elders Advisory Council (GEAC) in Ogun State has described the proposed N1.054trn budget presented by Governor Dapo Abiodun to the state House of Assembly on Wednesday as a key to the much-needed progress and prosperity for the people of the state.
The Chairman of the Council, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, made this known during a chat with newsmen shortly after the Council held a meeting with the Governor at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Chief Okuboyejo commended Governor Abiodun for dreaming big by presenting a substantial budget that would, in turn, help his administration’s ISEYA mantra to succeed, even as he urged the government to work towards achieving over 80 per cent budget performance in 2025.
He said: “For a state like Ogun, budgeting over N1trn when states that have been in existence far longer or even larger are budgeting less than that shows you the size of work that is being done. So, we give them our congratulations and kudos.
“It was christened the ‘Budget of Hope and Prosperity.’ It is what it is; you can see the size of the current one and the old one. It is progress, it is prosperity, and if you look at the emphasis of the budget, the key areas rest on the government’s own mantra of ISEYA.
“This is a big budget. The performance last year was put at about 70 per cent. This one, we advise him to go much higher, above 80 per cent, and we wish him well.”
Chief Okuboyejo also commended Governor Abiodun for keeping the promises he made to the people of the state.
He said: “One thing stands to his credit: if he makes a promise, he keeps it; that is a credit. He should not deviate from it. All those areas that have been touched in the budget, he should get them through, and the people will stand by him.”
Chief Okuboyejo commended the synergy between the executive and legislative arms of government, saying that the Council is happy with the cordial relationship, which he noted would continue to work in favor of the people of the state.
“It becomes significant to somebody who has had relationships between the executive and the legislature. Experience has shown that if there is no cordial relationship, understanding, or synergy in working, things will not move.
“Today, at the presentation of that budget, the synergy, affection, and closeness of the legislature and the executive were demonstrated through the address of the Speaker and the response of the Governor. So, it gladdens our hearts to see that the relationship exists,” he said.
The Council chairman also lauded Governor Abiodun for embarking on massive infrastructural development across the state, noting that he has done well.
“When we met with this government, that was our advice: that with infrastructure, people can move, businesses can thrive, and that was taken and spread across all the Senatorial Districts of the state without anyone left out. We give him kudos; he should keep it up in the new year,” he added.
Chief Okuboyejo described the just-concluded local government election as a very successful exercise, saying that the results of the election reflect the level of confidence that the people are building in the government.
“Excellent exercise, very successful because for people like us, in the past, we’ve seen elections with reports of head-breaking, ballot snatching, killings, and maiming, but there was nothing like that this time.
“We met yesterday (Tuesday), and our experiences in our various local governments indicate that, by and large, it was extremely peaceful, and we give him kudos for that,” he said.
The Council charged the new local government officers to be accountable and ensure that they offer the citizens good governance, adding that governance at the local level is now different from what obtained in the past.
“The individuals who are now in local government are part of a different local government system, not the old local government level where you could do anything and get away with it, no. It is a government of its own.
“With laws guiding its acceptability, responsibilities, and accountability, those who voted them in, if they don’t do well, will throw them out, of course,” he added.