Sam Philip
The people of Ondo State have been promised by the state government that it would tackle food security challenge through an integrated approach to agriculture in the coming fiscal year 2025.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, stated this on Tuesday at the Medium Term Expenditure Framework(MTEF) and 2025 budget preparation engagement with representatives of the people in Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore and Idanre local government areas as well as representatives of trade unions, professional bodies, CSOs, CBOs, NGOs, etc. in Akure, the State capital.
Dr. Igbasan explained that the government had mapped out strategies such as making the farming communities saver through improved security, purchase of more tractors and boosting of farm yields with modern methods as well as making the rural roads motorable.
Represented by the Administrative Secretary, Economic Planning and Coordinating Office, Mr. Bamidele Daisi, the Commissioner told royal fathers and other attendees that the State government had challenges implementing some of the provisions in the 2024 annual budget due to price volatility triggered by the escalating inflationary pressure in the country.
He explained that the unstable price regime as well as the need to provide budgetary cover for the new minimum wage of workers necessitated the need to revise the 2024 appropriation law from N395.257 billion to N492.045 billion to ensure that provisions for key projects and programmes are aligned with present economic realities of our time.
He admitted that most of the contractors could not work at the expected pace because of the hike in prices of construction materials. Igbasan, however, assured the people that contractors of various projects in the State would return to sites very soon.
After Pastor Stephen Aworere, Admin Secretary, Budget Office of the Ministry, had explained the proposed 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to stakeholders in attendance, Oba Ajomole Kayode Ojogburiaka of Ilado, Igbatoro, suggested that the State government should earmark special funds which would be used to resuscitate some of the moribund State-owned industries to provide jobs and shore up internally generated revenue of the State. He also urged the State government to consider acquiring Heritage Bank to allow rural communities to have access to banking facilities. The traditional ruler emphasised the need for government’s presence in the communities outside the State capital.
Speaking on education, Oba Ajomole called for recruiting and posting of more teachers to public schools in the rural communities.
Another community leader, Pastor Olorunsola Olafisoye, who represented Owa of Idanre, implored the State government to include in the 2025 budget, provisions to encourage cottage industries so that some of the produce, particularly cocoa, could be processed before selling them. He noted that the State government was not generating enough revenue from farm produce because the value chain of the produce is not adequately explored.
In his contribution, the Iyaloja of Ondo State, Chief(Mrs.) Nike Aroloye tasked the State government to work with market women with a view to reducing the hike in food prices in the State. Represented by Mrs. Dauda Aderemi, the Iyaloja noted that the restriction of Iyalojas from controlling prices of commodities in the markets led to arbitrary increase in prices of goods and farm produce in the markets.
Present at the interface are CSOs, NGOs, Professional bodies like ICAN as well as representatives of various communities from Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore and Idanre local government areas of the State.
The Ministry has been having interactions with different stakeholders across the State to make input into the 2025 budget which is being prepared by the Ministry in order to accommodate the needs of the people in order of priority.
