SAHARA REPORTERS
Atotal of N5billion will be spent by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration in Ondo State for the renovation of Day Care Centre/Creche in 2024, a copy of the state’s 2024 approved budget seen by SaharaReporters has revealed.
Part of the amount is expected to be used in buying of toys, babycot walkers and beddings, the document further revealed.
Aiyedatiwa had in December 2023 signed the state’s 2024 budget into law.
The governor had on 21 December, when he was still the acting governor, presented a budget of N384.53billion to the state House of Assembly.
The estimate comprised of capital expenditure of N222.26 billion with a recurrent expenditure of N173 billion.
However, the assembly increased the budget to N395billion, a difference of about N10.7billion.
While assenting to the appropriation bill shortly after it was passed, Aiyedatiwa had said the budget would focus on economic growth and development of the state.
He added that the budget would focus on human capital development, environmental sustainability, rural development, and completing ongoing infrastructural projects initiated by the late former governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
A breakdown of the budget by SaharaReporters showed that a whopping sum of N5billion was approved for “renovation of Day Care Centre/Creche, buying of toys, babycot walkers and beddings etc”.
Also N450million was budgeted and approved by the state assembly for “Nigerian Women Projects (NWP) (Renovation of NWP Office, Creation of Women Affiliation Groups Cooperatives.etc).
Meanwhile, Governor Aiyedatiwa in the first three months after taking office borrowed N18,331,981,992.00 from external financier.
The foreign loan from French Development Agency was approved for the provision of water facility to Akure and environs.
“Table 2.2 shows that the sum of N78.746 billion was budgeted for both domestic and foreign loans in the year 2024, out of which N19.687 billion was first quarter target. However, only Water Corporation accessed credit of N18.331 billion from French Development Agency (AFD) as at the end of first quarter of year 2024,” a copy of the state’s 2024 budget first quarter performance report seen by SaharaReporters revealed.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
