On the mischievous misinterpretation of a Circular letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on year 2024 Budget preparation of Local Governments.
OSOGBO- 08/01/2024
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Dosu Babatunde has urged the general public to disregard the news going round the social media which bother on misinterpretation of a Circular letter issued by the Ministry.
Barr. Dosu Babatunde in a statement made available to journalists in his office urged members of the public to disregard the false information which he believes is the handiwork of those who do not want Osun State to develop.
The statement reads in part, "The attention of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has been drawn to a propaganda going round the social media which bother on misinterpretation of a Circular issued by the Ministry.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the circular was issued as guidance to Local Governments in the final preparation of the year 2024 Budget. For a Government to execute any Capital Project, be it Federal, State or Local, such project must be captured and adequately provided for in the Budget of the year in which it is to be executed.
"Thus Local Governments were directed to make adequate budgeting provision for Projects which fall within their Constitutional responsibility such as Primary Education, provision of portable water supply, good Local roads and Primary Health Care.
"Budgetary provisions are estimates which may or may not be realized depending on availability of funds and the Budget Circle is one year which presupposes that whatever funds are to be expended on a project for a year must be adequately captured in the Budget of the year.
"In specific terms, the figures the Local Governments were directed to include in their budgets are for projects which are to be executed in phases within year 2024. Renovation of schools, drilling and reticulation of boreholes , renovation of Primary health Care centers as well as construction of road culverts and bridges are to be done in phases, in recognition of the fact that many of such projects are required in the Local Government but the finances of the Local Government is obviously limited
"Boreholes are to be sunk in the 332 wards in the State. Phase one of such was completed and financed through the year 2023 budget.In year 2024, phase 2 of such are to commence soon.
"The cost of drilling, provision of stanchion and reticulation of a borehole in a ward is the sum of Two million, five hundred thousand naira (#2,500,000.00) and therefore the cost per Local Government depends on the number of wards in the Local Government.
"Thus, the sum of one Hundred and fifty Million Naira each Local Government was directed to include in their 2024 Budget is to cater for as many phases as possible of boreholes drilling, provision of stanchion and reticulation in year 2024.
"We thereby implore Osun residents to keep on supporting the present administration and expect more dividends of Democracy in the State”, the statement noted
Signed Olugbenga Oni, Information Officer, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs
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