Mr Abdul Oladunjoye, the Chairman, Ogun House of Assembly Committee on Oil, Gas, Water Resources and Energy, has appealed to Gov. Dapo Abiodun to pump more funds in the rural areas to further boost development in the areas.
Oladunjoye made the appeal while appraising the 2020 budget performance of the Ministry of Rural Development, held at the assembly complex, Oke-mosan, Abeokuta.
The lawmaker appreciated the state governor for work done so far in the urban areas, saying that it was important for dividend of democracy to cut across all nooks and crannies of the state.
He challenged the ministry to evolve strategies towards the execution of more infrastructural development projects for rural communities and towns across the three senatorial districts in the state.
Oladunjoye sought for more robust programmes and intervention in the 20 local government areas to achieve sustainable turn-around in the rural economy through rural electrification, water supply and durable roads, calling for improved service delivery to enhance standard of living of the people.
Earlier , the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, ESV Lekan Lukan, said the Ministry was conducting feasibility and on the spot assessment on the proposed rural roads for infrastructure upgrade across the state.
Lukan explained that reason for the feasibility was to determine the status of the rural roads in the communities to ascertain levels of technicality, materials and deployment of equipment to sites.
Explaining the basis of the N556million counterpart fund approved for construction and rehabilitation of some of the 171 advertised roads and 25 semi-urban roads in the state under RAAMP, the Permanent Secretary said a total of N27.71million was expended on capital projects within the period under review.
In a related development, the Chairmen, Transition Committee of Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo and Ewekoro Local Government Councils, Mr. Wasiu Lawal, Fola Salami and Emmanuel Babayemi rendered the 2020 budget performance of their respective local government councils before the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs led by Hon. Akeem Balogun.
Speaking on Ado-Odo/Ota Council budget performance, Lawal said N44.58million was spent on capital projects, with N1.411billion recorded from Federation account, grants and independent revenue; while his Ewekoro Counterpart, Babayemi submitted that capital projects gulped N14.772million with N587.07million recorded from Federation Account, independent revenue and grants within the period under review.
On the budget performance of Ifo Local Government Council, Mr. Salami stated that a-block of 3 classroom at Ishashi, rehabilitation of seven-room Primary Health Centre at Maidan amongst other projects were carried out within the period.
Salami added that the council got N1.143billion from Internally Generated Revenue and statutory allocation while N20.30million was expended on capital projects during the period under review.
Also, the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency and State Water Corporation took their turns to defend their 2020 budget performance before the lawmakers.
