Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, signed the state’s 2023 Appropriation Bill into law, barely 24 hours after passage by the House of Assembly.

The governor presented the N113.6 billion budget, comprising N79.5 billion (70 per cent) for capital projects and N34.1 billion (30 per cent) for recurrent expenditure, was to the lawmakers by the on November 2, 2022.

While signing the appropriation bill into law, Oyebanji said the 2023 budget, which is the first fiscal document of the administration, had been carefully crafted after due consultation with relevant stakeholders, to lay a strong foundation for the administration.

According to him, the 2023 ‘Budget of Strong Beginning’ is in fulfilment of his constitutional obligation as governor of Ekiti. His words: “Our budget has fully adopted the national charter of account template, which is a requirement for the state fiscal transparency, sustainability programme of result, and now the state’s action on business-enabling reforms of the World Bank,” 

Oyebanji, said the budget was designed to lay a strong foundation for the administration, while leveraging the achievements of the past administration.

“The breakdown of the 2023 budget of strong beginning, which I just signed into law, will be presented to members of the public in the coming days,” he added.

House of Assembly Speaker, Olubunmi Adelugba, said the governor’s maiden budget was indeed a budget of strong beginning guided by the fiscal policy and strategic focus as enshrined in the six pillars of the administration.

Adelugba, who said that the implementation is critical, added that the house had no doubt that the government would ensure its implementation to the letter.