From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has signed the 2025 Appropriation Bill into law.
Signing the budget on Monday at the State Executive Chamber in Ado-Ekiti, the Budget christened “Budget of Sustainable Impact” with a size of N375,790,077,618.15 was passed by the House of Assembly.
According to Oyebanji, he presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 to afford the Honourable Members sufficient time before the end of the year 2024 to scrutinize the Document and engage all relevant stakeholders.
The Governor explained that the programmes and projects contained in the 2025 Budget are in line with the Six Pillars of his Administration and stems from the State Development Plan 2021-2050 with top priority accorded to agriculture, food security, wealth creation and infrastructural development.
He noted that fifty one percent (51%) of the budget is to be appropriated for Recurrent Expenditure while the remaining forty nine percent (49%) will go for Capital Expenditure.
The Governor said, “In 2025 Fiscal year, we shall strive to meet our revenue target to ensure the implementation of all the lofty programmes and projects in the Budget. We shall also further strengthen our relationship with our development partners and elicit support for the implementation of specific projects in the State.
“As you are aware, our administration places high premium on the welfare of our public servants. The commencement of the implementation of minimum wage in December 2024 underscores our commitment. As the saying goes, to whom much is given, much is expected. We hope our public servants will reciprocate this gesture through a show of greater dedication to duty and delivery of optimal quality service.
“We shall also continue to attend to the welfare of our senior citizens who have served the State meritoriously by paying their pension and gratuities on time. As you probably know, we are up to date on our monthly pension payments and have reduced the State’s gratuity backlog significantly. To date, we have settled outstanding gratuities owing to civil servants to the tune of N5.6billion thereby reducing the backlog by four years.
“The 2025 Budget total size is Three Hundred and Seventy Five Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninety Million, Seventy Seven Thousand, Six Hundred Eighteen Naira, Fifteen Kobo (N375,790,077,618.15) only out of which fifty one percent (51%) is to be appropriated for Recurrent Expenditure and forty nine percent (49%) for Capital Expenditure.
“The breakdown of the 2025 Appropriation Law, the Budget of Sustainable Impact, will be presented to the members of the public and the Press by the Honourable Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning and Performance Management in the coming days.”
Governor Oyebanji who commended the Speaker Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye and other members of the sixth Assembly for their resolve to ensure all round development of the State through sound legislation added the Assembly has been a worthy partner in progress with the Executive rather than constituting a clog in the wheel of progress.
He also hailed the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS) for improving revenue collection and generation through various strategies without necessarily putting additional burden on the good people of the state.