Ondo 2024 Budget Estimate Has Errors – Commissioner

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Government has clarified that the purported N18 Billion loan borrowed by the state within three months of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been on drawing board since the immediate past administration.

Government statement on Tuesday explained that the loan was meant to extend portable water from the Owena multipurpose dam to three communities of Akure, Idanre and Ile-Oluji.

Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan

Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, in the statement also shed light on the N5 Billion in this year’s budget estimates earmarked for renovation of day care centres.

“The Five Billion Naira (N5b) provision was actually meant to reflect the expected drawdown from the Nigerian for Women Project (WORLD Bank Supported) which had earlier been captured under the Capital Receipts.

“The N18 Million reported on the Nigerian for Women Project is meant for the renovation for Daycare Project.

“This is a regrettable Printer’s interpolation error that occurred during the process of preparing the document for publication.

“The Ministry takes full responsibility for this error and we have immediately set in motion the machinery to have the error corrected.

“We also took note that the report mentioned the sum of N18 Billion loan procured in just three (3) months.  This loan is an AFD facility for the reticulation of water from Owena Dam to Akure, Ile-Oluji, Idanre, Ifedore and environs that will provide clean water for about 1.2m people.

“The project started in 2017 and the N18 Billion mentioned was part of what should have been released to Ondo State in 2023, but was delayed due to stringent of World Bank Process.

“The said loan has not been assessed as the procurement process according to Word Bank Standards is ongoing

“Furthermore, the fund has a separate account, which is not subject to the control of State Officials, except those people prior approved by the World Bank before the advent of Governor Aiyedatiwa.”