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2020 budget: We are developing a hybrid development agenda – Makinde
The government of Oyo State, on Thursday, launched the inclusive budget initiative where views are being collated from residents and indigenes of the three senatorial districts ahead of the 2020 budget.
The initiative, which Governor Seyi Makinde said would enhance the open governance agenda of his government, will encompass a hybrid of bottom-up and top-bottom approaches to development, the Governor stated.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the initiative was launched through the Town Hall Meetings being put together by the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, headed by Barrister Adeniyi Farinto.
Governor Makinde stated that the programme would help produce an all-inclusive budget following the extensive consultations.
According to him, the stakeholders’ meeting was organised by the Government “in its bid to prepare a budget that would be most suited to the people’s needs and the overall development of the State.”
He said: “Over the years, there has been a debate over which is the best approach to governance: A top-bottom approach, which relies on leadership setting the goals and then breaking it down for implementation or the bottom-top approach where the citizens play a role in determining what the goals should be. We have opted for a hybrid of both.
“Before we came into office on May 29, on our campaign trail, we listened to you and so were able to come up with what I have often referred to as a four-point agenda that will reposition Oyo State for greater stability in economic growth powered by Agriculture, Security, Education and Healthcare.
“We remain focused on those areas as we are convinced that these will serve as a fulcrum of prosperity for the people of Oyo State. However, we still need your inputs.”
The Governor further disclosed that his government was also preparing a 20-year State Strategic Development Plan in addition to hearing the ideas of how the 2020 budget should be handled, saying the contributions of the stakeholders at the event would go a long way in making the plans more people-centered.
“When we reviewed the 2019 budget downwards, it was not out of the need to spite to anyone. It was because we discovered that we have not been living within our means.
“Borrowing money is not necessarily a bad thing. If it is for capital projects that will yield returns, it is acceptable. Borrowing money to pay salaries is not advisable.
“So, as we discuss ways to spend what we have, we should also remember that we have to use what we have to generate more funds and increase our Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR).
“It is my hope that this engagement will improve the performance of the budget and sustain the developmental objectives of this administration.
“I want to further assure you that your feedback and views will be given due consideration,” the Governor stated.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Adeniyi Farinto, said the programme was a further attestation to the all-inclusive nature of governance under the present administration in Oyo State and its resolve to move the people from poverty to prosperity.
Farinto posited that a stakeholders’ meeting of such nature was a genuine platform where all opinions would not only be explored but would be critically examined for the growth and development of any State.
He stressed that having a people-oriented budget had always been the priority of the Makinde administration, noting that government that was run with the understanding and inputs of the people was a practical expression of transparency and good governance.
The commissioner charged community leaders and other representatives present at the event to come up with strategic programmes and articulate initiatives as well as suggestions that would take the State to her pacesetting mode.
He asserted that the stakeholders’ contributions were critical in the initiation, formulation, and execution of people-oriented budgets, assuring that the people’s inputs would count in the development of programmes and projects in the State.
Economic Adviser to Governor Makinde, Dr. Adetunji Babatunde, who also delivered an address, justified the decision to opt for open governance, adding the government would easily get the priorities right.
According to him, a government that adopts the inclusive budgeting the approach would not be building roads where the people’s priority was a hospital or a police station.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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