2025 Budget: Residents’ inputs to guide action plan- Lagos govt

IBRAHIM QUADRI

As part of measures to ensure all-inclusive budget estimates for 2025, the Lagos State government has stated its reassurance to incorporate residents’ requests into an actionable plan for implementation process.

The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George made the promise while fielding questions from the media during the ongoing Y2025 budget consultative forum at the Ikeja Division, held at the Radio Lagos Auditorium, LTV Complex, Agidingbi.

The Commissioner emphasised the need for citizens’ engagement, stating that the beauty of the budget consultative forum is for the government to get feedback from the people, take it back for possible action and also update on status of projects across the state.

His words, “This is the beauty of this sort of engagement and forum. We are here to give report of what was asked last year, why certain things have happened and why some have not. We have noted what they want; they have given us new update which we will ensure that we take back to ministries that are involved to get progress report on it.”

While highlighting the achievements of Y2024, George noted that, “We knew that the macroeconomic indices will change, social protection was key and in the 2024 budget, we paid a lot of attention to social protection which was why you found an initiative like Ounje EKo, the Food bank e.t.c.

“We did not also stop in our infrastructural development. Concurrently, we ensure that we keep going with infrastructure like the Opebi-Mende-Ojota link bridge, the Blue line (phase II), the New Massey Children hospital and a lot of things going on. For us, the 2024 budget has shown that we have balanced both the infrastructure development and social needs.”

He also hinted on the performance of the Y2024 budget, saying, “We have an IGR target close to N1.1trillion for 2024 and we are just finishing our mid-year review of which we are currently in the process of going through. We are okay with our indices, our sustainability state is quite good. We are also looking at increasing other forms of IGR.”

Earlier in his address, the commissioner said that “the State government provided 23 per cent of the Y2024 budget to its Economic Affairs sector to cater for infrastructural renewal and development to modernize the city and support its growing population.

“The State launched several initiatives and projects to improve the standard of living, build infrastructure, ensure food security, enhance ease of doing business and affordable public transportation, and improve energy supply.”

The forum aimed to get more feedbacks from residents will also take place in Ikorodu division on Thursday while on Friday, it will hold in Epe division at the Jubilee Chalet and ends next Tuesday at LASU for the Badagry division.

For a better society

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