The Osun State Government has urged the general public to disregard reports making the rounds on social media regarding a circular letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs about the 2024 Budget preparation of Local Governments.
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, stated this in a statement issued by the Information Officer, Olugbenga Oni.
The government has been dragged for allegedly approving huge amounts of money from boreholes in local government areas of the state.
However, the commissioner clarified that the circular was issued as guidance to Local Governments in the final preparation of the year 2024 Budget.
“For a government to execute any Capital Project, be it Federal, State or Local, such project must be captured and adequately provided for in the Budget of the year in which it is to be executed.
In specific terms, the figures the Local Governments were directed to include in their budgets are for projects which are to be executed in phases within the year 2024.
“Boreholes are to be sunk in the 332 wards in the state. Phase one of such was completed and financed through the year 2023 budget. In the year 2024, phase 2 of such is to commence soon.
“The cost of drilling, provision of stanchion and reticulation of a borehole in a ward is the sum of Two million, five hundred thousand naira (#2,500,000.00) and therefore the cost per Local Government depends on the number of wards in the Local Government.
“Thus, the sum of one hundred and fifty million naira each local government was directed to include in their 2024 budget is to cater for as many phases as possible of boreholes drilling, provision of stanchion and reticulation in year 2024.
“We thereby implore Osun residents to keep on supporting the present administration and expect more dividends of democracy in the state”, the statement noted.
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