By Ayo Kehinde
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has presented a N655 billion budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly, emphasizing infrastructure and economic recovery as key priorities.
During the plenary session presided over by Speaker Olamide Oladiji, Aiyedatiwa outlined the spending plan tagged the “Budget of Recovery,” with a significant focus on capital projects.
According to the governor, N406.307 billion (62.01%) of the budget is earmarked for capital expenditure, while N248.923 billion (37.99%) is allocated to recurrent expenditure.
The budget prioritises infrastructure, with N238.5 billion (36.4%) devoted to the development of roads, bridges, and other public works.
The governor noted that the budget is designed to address pressing developmental needs and consolidate on achievements recorded in key sectors under the administration of his late predecessor, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Expressing gratitude to the people of Ondo for their support during the last gubernatorial election, he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fostering economic growth, improving public services, and delivering on campaign promises.
“This budget reflects our determination to recover from economic challenges and lay a solid foundation for sustainable development across the state,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Responding to the governor’s presentation, Speaker Oladiji commended the governors’ resilience and proactive leadership, which he described as pivotal to the administration’s successes so far.
He assured the public that the assembly would thoroughly review the budget to ensure its provisions align with the needs and aspirations of Ondo residents.
“We will carefully scrutinize the budget to ensure every allocation positively impacts the lives of our people,” Oladiji said.
