…as works get highest percentage
BY EBUN SESSOU

The Lagos State House of Assembly, LSHA, has passed a budget total of N489billion into law for the year 2015 as works and infrastructure got the highest allocation with N72.250 Billion.

The budget comprises recurrent expenditure of N241,977 and capital expenditure of N247,713.

The House had given it’s Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, headed by Mudashiru Obasa and other committees two weeks to work on the budget following the presentation of budget proposal by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola last year.

The period was eventually extended as some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) did not come up with the necessary papers in time.

Education got the second highest allocation with N52.09 Billion, while healthcare got an allocation of N32.4 billion as against N37.81 billion which was voted in 2014.

Environmental protection got a vote of N22.76 billion and housing got N28.67 Billion, while Assembly got N8.7 Billion.

Information and Strategy got N2.4 billion with N2.17 billion allocation for Agriculture.

The House also approved a budget of N21.4 billion for Commerce and Industry as against N3.94 Billion given to Science and Technology.

The state Transport sector was given N27.8 billion and Judiciary was allocated N3.44 billion.

According to Fashola, “We have retained the same budget size of 2014 to keep zero deficits.

“This will give the administration the room to start up very quickly,” he said.

He said that the 2015 budget would focus on payment of contractors’ liabilities to enable the government to complete as many projects as possible before handing over to the next administration.

“For example, out of the 400 roads that we promised, we have completed over 190 in the last three years, with 210 at various advanced stages.
“The on-set of dry weather provides the opportunity to complete all of them,” he said.

Fashola said that the government had started compiling a list of another 400 roads that would be handed over to the next administration for consideration, adoption and implementation.

In his speech, the Speaker of the House, Adeyemi Ikuforiji said that the budget was the 10th he would be working on as Speaker of the House and that it would be the last.

“The Committees of the House worked assiduously on the budget. We would have passed the budget in 2014, but for some ministries which did not come up with their documents in time. I want to commend the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget and other committees for a job well done,” he said.

Speaker Ikuforiji then advised the state government to implement the budget fully and ensure that the people of the states feel the impact of the budget.

“This House therefore directs the Executive arm to diligently and conscientiously implement provisions of this 2015 budget as passed by this Assembly. We remain a veritable partner of the Executive in managing the affairs of the state. We will always work together to take Lagos to the Promised Land.

“No section or area of Lagos State should suffer social amenities and infrastructural development if this budget is religiously executed. We have always tried to satisfy the yearnings of Lagosians in the provision of adequate security and life-changing amenities, we will continue unabated to do this, especially as we enter into an election year,” he said.