The Ondo State Government has reiterated its commitment to harness the abundant human and natural resources available in the 18 local councils to secure a bright future for the people.It also averred to transform and be one of the most developed states in the country through strategic implementation of projects and programmes.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Chief Bunmi Alade, gave the assurance, yesterday, during the consultative meetings with various representatives of the people in Akure, the state capital.

Alade said the engagement with critical stakeholders across the local councils was necessary to analyse and assess the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2022 budget preparation.

He disclosed that some consultative engagements earlier took place in all the five zones and councils, involving the representatives of community leaders, traditional rulers, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), among others.

The permanent secretary explained that the consultation was in compliance with the State Fiscal Responsibility Law, 2017 and continuation of the lofty idea of inclusive governance of the Governor Akeredolu-led administration in the state.

According to him, the programme was designed to seek their inputs and opinions on the fiscal policy of the state in a bid to ensure a prosperous state.

He noted that the budget was not just arbitrary figures but a key policy instrument for allocating public resources among competing socio-economic needs, adding that it engendered inclusiveness and effective participation of the people.

Alade said there was an improvement that qualified the state for accessing the State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme for Result (PfR) grants since 2018.

Meanwhile, while presenting the 2022-2024 MTEF and the 2022 Budget projections, Director of Budget, Mr. Stephen Aworere, said that it was aimed at addressing the second term Redeemed agenda of the present administration for the benefit of the people of the state.

He stressed the need for all hands to be on deck towards increasing the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) of government to be able to meet critical needs of the people..

………………..