Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Adewale Egbedun on Monday declared the 2024 Budget Defence Exercise opened at the Hallowed Chamber of the Assembly.
The pioneer ministry that appeared for 2024 Budget Defence exercise was the Ministry of Health, Osun State Hospitals’ Management Board, Primary Health Care Development Board, Osun Health Insurance Agency, Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS and Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social welfare.
Declaring the exercise open, the speaker, Rt Hon Adewale Egbedun recalled that the governor, Ademola Adeleke presented the year 2024 draft budget to the House of Assembly on 9th November, 2023.
He added that the presentation of the 2024 draft budget was in fulfilment of Constitution requirements before the end of the particular fiscal year, stressing that it is on record that Osun State was the second to present the year 2024 draft budget before the state House of Assembly throughout the federation.
The speaker furthered that the budget size presented was two hundred and seventy-three billion, nine hundred and eight million, nine hundred and ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and ten naira (#273,908,997,410) and tagged “Budget of Reconstruction and Recovery”.
He then charged all and sundry to be alive to their responsibilities by rebuilding the state and after the successful deliberations of all Osun, society focused on recovery.
Rt Hon Egbedun pointed out that this can be achieved through effective collaboration of all and sundry as well as optimal implementation of the budget, saying the Honourable House will be very thorough in the consideration of the budget and efforts to improve the size of the budget to the realistic figure after proper scrutiny of various demands.
“Having been mindful that the year 2024 budget will be revenue-driven, I’m using this medium to advise Ministries Departments and Agencies including our Tertiary Institutions to improve on their Internally Generated Revenue drive by looking inwards and by blocking all Revenue leakages and loopholes within their jurisdictions.
“The Osun Internal Revenue Service should establish effective collaboration with all revenue generating agencies in the state and review their status and performances of various consulting firms and individuals to improve in revenue collection exercise in the state to have value for money”.
“In addition, payment of taxes, levies and other statutory revenue must be made to be civil, flexible and appropriate. All stakeholders in this very important exercise are hereby enjoined to accord wisdom and much-given attention to achieve the desired goals at the end of the day. Agencies of government and institutions have been reminded to give a very close touch in their respective committees of the House of Assembly and carry them along with various programmes and activities”.
In his welcome address, the Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Saheed said the gathering dwelt extensively on ensuring efficient allocation of the state’s financial resources.
Other members of the committee include Hon Akinyode Oyewusi, Hon Folorunsho Ogundare, Hon Afeez Ibrahim, Hon Bamidele Lawal and Hon Elisha Oderinwale plus the chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon Kasope Ajibade and other lawmakers.
The highlight of the exercise was the defences of the budget allocated to the Ministry of Health and other departments and Agencies under it.
