By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Oyo State government on Wednesday said it has reported a significant achievement in its 2024 budget, noting a 64.4 percent performance rate in recurrent expenditure for the period spanning January to September.
The Commissioner for Budget and Physical Planning, Professor Misbau Babatunde, made the disclosure during a press conference held on Wednesday, after the state executive council meeting led by Governor Seyi Makinde.
Professor Babatunde emphasised that the budget performance is largely attributed to ongoing infrastructural projects within the state.
He also announced that a treasury board meeting is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, during which Governor Makinde will oversee discussions aimed at finalising the budget for 2025.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Professor Soliu Adelabu said the council has approved a major initiative to remodel and enhance two technical colleges.
This project, he disclosed, will adhere to the World Bank’s Technical Vocational Education and Training model and is set to commence with a first phase budget of approximately N1,153,414,098.00.
Furthermore, Adelabu highlighted a significant milestone, the reopening of twenty-three schools within the Oyo Federal Constituency that had been closed for over a decade due to land disputes.
These institutions, he said, have now resumed full operations, marking a positive step forward in educational accessibility.
Additionally during the press briefing, the Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, Professor Daoud Sangodoyin, discussed three key briefs presented during the executive meeting.
These include plans for the asphalt rehabilitation of 7.172 km of roads in both Old and New Bodija, with an investment of N5.6billion
The initiatives will also cover improvements to the dualised Molete Under Bridge, the Challenge Junction, and the Felele-Idi Obi Junction, alongside the rehabilitation of the road network connecting the Oyo State Secretariat at Agodi, adding that, these projects are expected to be completed within eight months.
The press conference was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation; Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media; and Mrs. Bosede Sodiq, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Broadcast Media.
