Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has assured residents and organised groups that their recommendations will be considered in preparing the state’s 2027 budget proposal, pledging a consultative approach to determining spending priorities before the document is presented to the House of Assembly.
Makinde gave the assurance at the Stakeholders’ Consultative and Engagement Meeting on the 2027 Budget for Oyo State, held at the University of Ibadan. The meeting brought together representatives of different sectors to discuss the state’s development needs and provide input into the proposed spending plan.
The governor said his administration had invested in infrastructure and established institutions expected to serve Oyo State for more than two decades. He argued that the government’s priorities should increasingly include maintaining existing infrastructure and institutions to preserve their value and ensure they continue to benefit residents.
According to Makinde, his administration recognised early in its tenure that infrastructure development was central to economic growth. He said investments in the sector had contributed to an increase in the value of assets across the state.
The governor also acknowledged the limited period available to his administration to implement the 2027 budget. With his tenure scheduled to end on 29 May 2027, he said the government could implement, at most, about 30 per cent of the proposed budget before leaving office.
Despite that constraint, Makinde maintained that stakeholder recommendations would be considered during the preparation of the budget proposal. The assurance places emphasis on identifying spending priorities that can be incorporated into the plan and sustained beyond the current administration.
Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, pledged cooperation between the legislative and executive arms of government to support effective budget implementation. The legislature’s role will include considering the proposal submitted by the executive through the state’s established budgetary process.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Oluwaseun Ojo, urged participants to make evidence-based recommendations. He said contributions should help the government identify priority areas, guide resource allocation and improve the outcomes of public spending.
Participants at the consultation included representatives of local government chairmen, farmers, traders, artisans, students and religious leaders. Their involvement was intended to bring perspectives from different sections of society into discussions about the state’s financial priorities.
The consultation comes as the administration prepares a budget that will partly be implemented during the final months of Makinde’s tenure, making prioritisation, continuity and the maintenance of existing public assets important considerations.
Deborah Adeyefa
