Close to 400 projects worth N17.381 billion have been awarded by the Ondo State Government in the Southern Senatorial District of the State between January and September 2018 .

The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, stated this during a stakeholders meeting  in the southern senatorial district on 2019 budget preparation process held at Okitipupa Local Government hall in Okitipupa Local Government area of the State.

The Senatorial District  comprise Ilaje, Okitipupa, Ileoluji/Okeigbo, Irele, Ese-Odo and Odigbo local government areas of the state.

According to a statement from the Media Manager of the Ministry, Banjo Egunjobi, Igbasan said the projects, which cut across the district, were meant to transform the  area as part of the plan of the State Governor.

According to him N4.8billion has been paid to the various contractors implementing the projects this year.

He highlighted some of the projects to include: 191 school projects executed by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) worth over N2 billion, 49 Ministry of Agriculture projects, 89 OSOPADEC  projects, among others while the Ondo State Investment Promoting Agency  (ONDIPA) has attracted

N5.8 billion worth of integrated rice project comprising  5,000 hectares of rice farm and N4.4 billion worth fertilizer blending plant at Ese-Odo and  Odigbo Local Government areas respectively.

The commissioner added that over N250 million was recently released by the State Government to the State Oil Producing Development Area Commission (OSOPADEC) to pay bursary/scholarship  for a total number of 5,393 undergraduates  and post graduates of Ilaje and Ese Odo local governments areas.

He also said that government has singed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with China Railway Construction Company, CRCC, on the construction of 130km Araromi-Okitipupa-Ondo-Akure expressway.

The Commissioner explained that on completion of the road project and the Sea Port, the district and the State at large  would become a destination of choice for local and international investments.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Bunmi Alade stated that the state government aimed to have all-inclusive, robust and people oriented budget come 2019.

“The need for robust and sound budget cannot be over-emphasised, hence we must challenge ourselves , and be prepared to think anew, act  anew and create anew through contribution of our quotas,” he stated.

 He said that at the end of the process, creative ideas and initiatives that would make 2019 budget respond to the yearnings of the people would be harvested

In his remark, the Jegun Idepe Okitipupa, Oba Micheal Adetoye Obatuga appreciated Governor Akeredolu-led administration for providing the forum for the people at the grassroots to contribute to the fiscal policy of the government, he therefore, appealed to the government to implement their requests.’

Commending, Mr  Funminiyi Olowodasa , the President of National Association of the Physically Challenged in the district, commended the Akeredolu-led-administration for the programme and for appointing the association’s member as one of the Special Assistants to the Governor.

Similarly, Mr Agbejoye Adetoye, the Chairman of Niger Delta Youth Movement, Ondo State chapter, said that the proposed budget should consider youth engagement in meaningful and substantive means in reducing drastically social vices.