The Ekiti State Government has charged local council authorities to ensure fiscal discipline and judicious allocation of resources to better the lots of the grassroots.
The Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Folorunso Olabode, gave the charge at a one-day workshop on the preparation of the 2025-2027 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for relevant officers of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.
He urged the councils to prioritise people’s needs and agriculture in the 2025 budgets, to meet the yearnings of the citizens and food security.
The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, in collaboration with its Budget, Economic Planning and Performance Management counterpart, was to train council officials how to set up the MTEF, a three-year rolling plan that aligns the budgeting processes with developmental objectives, to ensure sustainable development.
“It is imperative for me to mention the issue of LG’s financial autonomy as it affects strategic planning, fiscal and resource allocations.
“We need to ensure that our resources are being utilised efficiently and directed towards programmes that will have the greatest impact on the lives of our citizens,” he said.
Olabode said although Governor Biodun Oyebanji had lived up to his promise not to tamper with council funds, the governor would continue to prioritise development at the grassroots.
He charged the LGs/LCDAs on stakeholders’ engagement, saying, “It is essential that we involve all relevant stakeholders in this process, especially in the preparation of our 2025 budget which is an offshoot of the MTEF.
“We need to hear the voices of our communities and incorporate their feedback into our plans, ensuring that our initiatives reflect their needs and aspirations.”
The commissioner urged the councils to also make agriculture and empowerment of local farmers a priority in their 2025 budgets, to upscale food production in our communities.
“Through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the state government is collaborating with the LGs/LCDAs on massive land clearing across the council areas for agricultural purposes.
“In line with the directive of Mr Governor, therefore, we shall prioritise the construction of 5km roads across LGs/LCDAs. Substantial success has been recorded this year in the area of planning, identification of roads and consultancy,” he said.
The Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning and Performance Management, Mr Niyi Adebayo, said the workshop was to train LG officials on fiscal discipline and how to use MTEF to run the affairs of government.
The Chairman of Ekiti State House of Assembly Committee on Local Governments, Alhaja Maryam Ogunlade, asked that necessary steps be followed in the preparation of the 2025 budget to achieve the desired result.
Ogunlade said that MTEF if followed would enhance the achievement of strategic goals, “which include reduction of poverty and vulnerability.
“It will also increase employment and investments if properly implemented. It will lower the cost of economic activities and improve the safety and security of citizens.”
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