(L-R)- Chairman , Ogun State House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Olakunle Sobukonla, flanked by the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr.Olaolu Olabimtan, Deputy Speaker, Akeem Balogun,Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Dada and Hon. Adegoke Awoso during the presentation of Medium Term Expenditure Framework Draft Policy to the Committee members in Abeokuta.

By: kehinde Balogun.

Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan has presented the year 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Draft proposals to the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative consideration, assuring regular engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, towards achieving a realistic budget outcome with increased revenue base in the year 2023.

The Commissioner, who stated this during the presentation of the draft proposal to members of the Committee at the Assembly complex in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, stated that a deliberate effort and strategic move were required to create more employment opportunities while exploring strategic fiscal options that could encourage more Public-Private Partnership with service-based industries for optimal budget performance.

 Mr. Olabimtan, while appreciating the Committee members for the timely approval of 2021 budget, which assisted to improve the Capital and Recurrent Expenditure ratio and the budget amendments, enumerated the expected outcomes of the MTEF to include ensuring financial stability in the State, accelerating economic growth and enhancing social inclusion through employment generation and job creation.

He maintained that the Ministry would ensure prudent management of resources that would not allow for frivolous expenditure, especially on projects that would not have a direct impact on the people, attesting that it was the right way out of the present dwindling economy.

 "As a government, we are quite determined to grow the economy and not to shrink it and we have come to seek your approval after which our next plan will be to the engage MDAs on the Medium Term Sectoral Strategy (MTSS), which will usher in preparation of the 2023 Budget estimates for the State".

 In their separate responses, the lawmakers emphasised the need for the MDAs to tighten all loose ends and ensure that a realistic target was set for achieving good governance across the board.