2025-2027 MTEF: Abiodun Entrenching Participatory Governance In Ogun

Ogun State government has successfully concluded the Town Hall meetings held in four major divisions— Remo, Ijebu, Yewa, and Egba (RIYE)- to seek the direct inputs of the rele­vant stakeholders into the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Frame­works (MTEF). The practice, which has become an annual ritual, aligns with the bottom-top approach to participatory governance, which is now an in-thing in the democratic world. Participatory governance allows citizens to be involved in the decision-making processes of the state.

As a departure from the past, the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, introduced the idea into the devel­opmental policies of his adminis­tration as a way to strengthen the relationship between citizens and the government. Among other benefits, involving the people in the decision-making process increases meaningful en­gagement, thereby fostering a sense of ownership of the process. And so far, it has been a rewarding exer­cise both for the government and the people who are directly connected to the development at the grassroots level.



The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan, stressing the significance of the Town hall Meeting, disclosed that 377 inputs were received during the last town hall meetings held in 2023 and that 90 percent of those inputs, representing 340 of the total contributions, were included in the year’s budget. He also pledged that the remaining 40 inputs would be included in the 2025 budget and the MTEF.

Olabimtan explained that projects were evenly implemented among the six local government areas in Ijebu Division, urging the people of the senatorial districts to submit their inputs toward the plan­ning and eventual implementation of the budget. The state government concluded the exercise which began on October 23, 2024 in Ijebu Division at the Ogun Central Senatorial District on Thurs­day amidst the stakeholders’ enthu­siasm. Like the previous experience, it once again afforded the governor the opportunity to give an account of his stewardship, emphasizing that his administration had ensured even distribution of projects across the three senatorial districts.

Prince Abiodun categorically declared that no part of Ogun State had been left out of the developmental projects of his administration in the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Frame­work (MTEF) and the 2025 Budget. He emphasized that projects were evenly distributed among the three Senatorial Districts in accordance with the 2024 budget. The Governor made this known during the town hall meeting on the 2025-2027 Medium Term Ex­penditure Framework (MTEF) and 2025 Budget held at the Bisi Rodipe Event Centre, Ijebu-Ode.

Abiodun, who commended all stakeholders for their inputs during consultations, further disclosed that his admin­istration had approved the recon­struction of some major roads in the Ogun East Senatorial District. He said he had approved the recon­struction of Imoro-Imegun-Opopo road, Igbeba-Eid praying ground to Prison road, others in Ogun East. Governor Abiodun, who was represented by the Chief Econom­ic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Mr.

Dapo Okubadejo, maintained that despite the fiscal pressures on its resources, the ad­ministration had also commenced the construction of over 64 kilome­tres of rural roads across the state. The construction of the rural roads, Governor Abiodun said, marked pivotal steps in his admin­istration’s ongoing commitment to­wards expanding infrastructural de­velopment for rural accessibility and boosting agricultural productivity in the state. “In continuation of our infrastructural development, our administration recently approved the reconstruction of the Imoro-Ime­gun-Opopo road in Ijebu-North-East, Igbeba road to Eid praying ground to Prison, Imoru road in Ijebu-Ode, and Odelewu-Ladeshi-Ishiwo road.

“Despite the fiscal pressures and increased government spending, infrastructural investments to pro­mote rural development and the economy have equally gained atten­tion. “Our administration is construct­ing 64 kilometres of rural roads in select local government areas in the state, including within the Ijebu di­vision,” he said. Governor Abiodun also disclosed that his administration, in collabo­ration with the Lagos and Oyo State Governments, had procured an ad­ditional 25 patrol vans and surveil­lance drones to monitor activities along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

He added that the completion of the Gateway International Agro-cargo Airport, Ilishan, would position the state as the major logistics hub in the sub-region, while taking advantage of the Africa Quality Assurance Centre developed by the Africa Ex­port-Import Bank. So far, Prince Abiodun said that his administration had constructed over 600 kilometres of road across the state, with 243.3 kilometres com­pleted in the Ogun East Senatorial District.

Some of the completed roads listed included Chris-Ogun­banjo-Erunwon road, Palace road, Ijebu-Itele, Club road, Balogun Kuku road, Ijebu-Ode, and the reconstruc­tion of internal roads within Ola­bisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye. He said that work had also commenced on the double self-culvert on Alaran River, Isiwo, Ijebu-Ode, Liberty road, Oru, and the Awokoya road in Ijebu-Ode. The governor attributed the suc­cessful implementation of the 2024 budget to the prudent management of the state resources, blockage of leakages, as well as increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He stated this during the town hall meeting held at Ilaro on Tuesday. Represented by the Chief Chief Eco­nomic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, Prince Abiodun noted that the 2024 budget had already achieved 80 per­cent implementation, ascribing the success to the various reforms em­barked by the state government.

He said: “Putting the record straight, before our emergence in 2019, budget implementation was below 40 percent but the present ad­ministration has moved it up to an average of 75 percent. “Implementation of the 2024 bud­get is 80 percent and that of last year was also 80 percent. We had put in place various mechanisms for the execution of the budget, and these mechanisms are in line with our pillars of development.

We also put in place delivery mechanism and strategies to ensure the variant of most of the budget. “Also, we have embarked upon a lot of reforms to block leakages, im­prove efficiency of service delivery. We also looked at other revenue ar­eas; we have embarked on massive digitalization to enhance our reve­nue in those areas without necessar­ily overtaxing our people.

” He added that his administration leveraged the competitive and com­parative advantages of the State and established few ministries and agen­cies that had helped in boosting the state revenue. The Governor stressed that the introduction of Medium Revenue Strategies, Medium Term Expen­diture Framework reforms in the payment for seamless operations to block leakages as well as regu­lar meeting to monitor all reforms, were parts of measures aimed at improving the state’s revenue. He disclosed that Ogun West Senatori­al District had benefited from the over 600 kilometres of road con­structed by his administration in the last five years.

These include, among others, GRA road at Ota, Ilaro-Owode, Atan-Lusada-Agbara, and Oke-Irija-Ilobi. The Governor acknowledged Ogun West as the home of industries and food basket of the State. He described the meet­ing as critical engagement aimed at providing opportunities for the people to press home their demands and aspirations as feedbacks are not only important to the MTEF, but also the 2025 budget.

It goes without saying that the combined effects of prudent man­agement, blockage of leakages, and the enhanced capacity for Internally Generated Revenue have accounted for the resilience of the state econo­my amid global challenges. Since he assumed office, he has demonstrat­ed his innate capacity for creative thinking, leading to further boost­ing of the state’s internal revenue generation. As of today, Ogun is among the few states that can sur­vive independently of the Federal Government.

In their separate remarks, the Gbegande of Ososa, Oba Toye Alatishe, and the Ebumawe of Ago- Iwoye, Oba Abdul-Rasaq Adenugba, commended the present adminis­tration for sustaining the town hall meeting, which has served as an avenue for the people to make their inputs into the budget, saying mon­archs in the district would continue to support the vision and mission of the present administration in the state. On his part, the Olu of Ilaro and Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, rep­resented by the Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite, called for the reconstruction of more roads in the area to improve the economic activities of the people. In the same vein, representatives of different organisations and groups urged the government to consider more road construction in the senatorial dis­trict in the proposed budget.

Abiodun further affirmed the commitment of his administration to participatory governance and cit­izen’s engagement. He emphasized that his administration had always listened to the voices and concerns of its citizens in order to incorpo­rate them into the 2025 budget. The Governor, who was represented by his Chief Economic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Mr.

Dapo Okubadejo, at the town hall meeting, which took place at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeo­kuta, highlighted the importance of public participation in shaping the 2025-2027 MTEF and the 2025 budget. “This final session is a culmination of our efforts to ensure that the voic­es of Ogun State residents are heard and reflected in our governance,” Abiodun stated. He governor not­ed that the meetings had provided opportunity for residents across the senatorial districts, including Ijebu, Remo, egba and Yewa, to engage directly with government officials, providing feedback on pressing local issues.

He posited that the meeting in Egba Division had served as a vital opportunity for community leaders and citizens to discuss their specific needs and aspirations towards the development of the state. Governor Abiodun reiterated his administration’s focus on infrastruc­ture as a direct response to commu­nity feedback gathered during pre­vious meetings. “We understand that improved roads and essential services are crucial for economic growth and the well-being of our citizens,” highlighting significant projects in Egba Division, including ongoing constructions.

The governor assured the people of the state that his administration would continue to prioritize safety through community policing initia­tives. “We are dedicated to creating a safe environment where everyone can thrive,” he stated, reflecting the concerns raised by citizens through­out the Town Hall Meetings. The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, applauded the Abiodun-led administration for its commendable work across the state.

He urged the government not to relent, noting that there was still much to be done, particularly in the area of road in­frastructure. In his remarks, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.

Oludaisi Elemide, commended the present administration for its in­clusiveness and forthrightness in en­suring that development in different sectors of the economy cuts across all the regions of the state. Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital..