Fashola Signs N489.6bn Appropriation for 2015

Speaking at the occasion in Marina, the governor said the occasion was meant for Monday but that he has to call it forward to enable him attend a national meeting fixed for Monday in Abuja by the All Progressive Congress(APC) so that ministries and government departments can continue with work while he is in Abuja.

He called the ceremony as solemn and very important ceremony. According to him, the budget is an article of fate by any government . “We are a government that is open to plan, part of the planning is for government to set the budget for the beginning of the year”, he said adding that Lagos is the second state to sign the document after Ogun State.

The 2015 budget is made up of N241,977 as recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure of N247,713.
Works and Infrastructure got the highest vote of N72.250 billion, followed by education with N52.09 billion. Health, which came third, was allocated N32.4 billion instead of N37.81 billion or 7.72 per cent that it received in 2014.

Environmental protection received N22.76 billion. Housing got N28.67 billion, while the Lagos State House of Assembly was allocated N8.7 Billion.

Information and Strategy got N2.4 billion, while agriculture was allocated N2. 17 billion. 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.

Speaking earlier at presentation of the budget to the Lagos State House of Assembly, Fashola said he 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.

Speaking after the passage of the budget, the Speaker of the House, Rt. (Hon.) 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.

He also used the opportunity to call on the people to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) for what he called the necessary changes in the country, adding that the party has good intentions for the country.