Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said his administration has made the best use of the 2019 Budget prepared by the immediate past administration of former governor Ibikunle Amosun to deliver on its campaign promises to the people.
He stated that this was despite the fact that the budget “was obviously not designed with the Building Our Future Together Agenda of our Administration in mind..”
The governor spoke on Thursday at Bisrod Hall, Igbeba GRA, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun East, during the first leg of Town Hall Meetings across the three Senatorial Districts of the state on the 2020 Budget.
Calling on the people of the Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts to also look forward to similar town hall meetings and be prepared to take maximum advantage of the platform and come out, in large numbers, to express your views and aspirations, Governor Abiodun said the stakeholders meetings were in fulfillment of his promise to carry people along in decision making process.
According to him, “You will all recall that, at the inception of our Administration on 29th May, 2019, we made it clear that our Government will be premised on the popular definition of democracy by the United State of American President, Abraham Lincoln, as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is the underlying factor behind our Administrations mantra of Building our Future Together. To achieve this, it is important that the government carries the people along when making crucial decisions, most especially those that affect the people, such as the budget preparation.
“This Town hall meeting, therefore, is a symbolic representation of our Administrations commitment towards inclusiveness, people-centred and participatory governance. We strongly believe that governance should be a participatory process and an inclusive one.
“Achieving the Ogun State of our dreams will require the inputs of all; it is our belief that the people should have a say on issues that concern them and they should, therefore, be allowed to take their rightful place in the governance process. This is the main reason for the hosting of this Town Hall Meeting.”
Below is the full text of the address he delivered:
ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE,
HIS EXCELLENCY, PRINCE DAPO ABIODUN, MFR,
AT THE OGUN EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT TOWN HALL MEETING ON 2020 BUDGET, HELD ON THURSDAY, 10TH OCTOBER, 2019
Protocols,
Let me join others to specially welcome all our people to this Town Hall Meeting. This Town Hall Meeting in Ogun East Senatorial District is one in the series of three Town Hall Meetings which will hold in all the three Senatorial Districts of our dear State as part of the processes towards the preparation for the 2020 fiscal year.
The Budget is a financial document prepared by the government or any other entity presenting its anticipated revenues and proposed expenditures for the coming financial year. But, it is also important that the people for whom government holds mandate in trust also have a say, especially as it is all about them. Apart from the fact that this Town Hall meeting is a way to, once again, meet with the good people of Ogun State, it will also help us to achieve a strategic allocation of resources towards the projects and programmes that will have the optimum impact on the people. As a result, we will achieve sustainable development because the people themselves are the initiators of the development plan. It is, therefore, easier to sustain and maintain such projects for the continued development of our dear State because the people have taken the ownership of the process and the projects.
- You will all recall that, at the inception of our Administration on 29th May, 2019, we made it clear that our Government will be premised on the popular definition of democracy by the United State of American President, Abraham Lincoln, as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is the underlying factor behind our Administrations mantra of Building our Future Together. To achieve this, it is important that the government carries the people along when making crucial decisions, most especially those that affect the people, such as the budget preparation. This Town hall meeting, therefore, is a symbolic representation of our Administrations commitment towards inclusiveness, people-centred and participatory governance. We strongly believe that governance should be a participatory process and an inclusive one. Achieving the Ogun State of our dreams will require the inputs of all; it is our belief that the people should have a say on issues that concern them and they should, therefore, be allowed to take their rightful place in the governance process. This is the main reason for the hosting of this Town Hall Meeting.
- We will all recall that, over the years, people were usually gathered for the Town Hall Meeting at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta. The people were mobilized for the meeting from all the three Senatorial Districts, and, thereby making the journey uneasy for some stakeholders and impossible for some others. As a responsible, responsive and focussed Administration, we understand the stress and how it feels not to be part of the decision making. That situation puts, at a more disadvantage, our women and youths who form the higher percentage of our population and a vital segment for any sustainable development plan. In ameliorating these challenges, we have decided to take it a notch higher by organizing the Town Hall Meeting in all the three Senatorial Districts of our dear State. On one hand, we are achieving Goals 10 and 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that is, Reduced Inequalities, and, Partnership for the Goals, respectively. And, you will agree with me that these two Goals will greatly impact the successful implementation of government policies and programmes for the achievement of the other 15 Goals of the SDGs. We believe that, in doing this, our budget preparation will be more inclusive towards rekindling the hopes of our people and reawakening their confidence in their government. Therefore, it strengthens the bond between the government and the people Government and people becoming the two sides of the same coin, rather than two different entities. This is the partnership that drives sustainable development. Borrowing the words of one the greatest Political Scientists, Francis Fukuyama, virtually all economic activity in the contemporary world is carried out by a high degree of social cooperation.
- To demonstrate our commitment to this partnership, you will all recall that we requested that our Local Governments and communities select the primary schools, primary health-centres, and the roads they considered most important to attract immediate attention in each of the 236 wards across our dear State. I am delighted to note that some of these primary schools, health-centres and roads will attract immediate intervention, in line with the expressed priorities of the people. This is in addition to governments identified projects that will be spread across the three Senatorial Districts of our dear State.
- Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I assure all that this is not just a talk shop as we will take copious notes of all your comments, recommendations, proposals and even critique, during the interactive session that will follow. Your views and inputs will be incorporated into the 2020 Budget estimates and will subsequently manifest in desired outcomes in each of the three Senatorial districts.
- Let me mention here that though the current 2019 Budget prepared by the immediate past Administration was obviously not designed with the Building Our Future Together Agenda of our Administration in mind, we have made the best use of that budget to deliver on our campaign promises across our dear State.
- I wish to reiterate that you own this government; the government is all about you. Therefore, I enjoin the people of the Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts to also look forward to similar town hall meetings and be prepared to take maximum advantage of the platform and come out, in large numbers, to express your views and aspirations. Together, we will build our future.
- At this point, let me also call on all relevant Stakeholders to continue to cooperate with us. And, hand-in-hand, we will walk this path to glory and achieve the Ogun State of our collective dream.
- Once again, I join others to welcome you and thank you for coming.
10. I thank you all for listening and God bless.
Igbega Ipinle Ogun, Ajose gbogbo wa ni o!
Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR
Governor of Ogun State, Nigeria.
Thursday, 10th October, 2019.