By Adeboye Ado
The Ondo State Government has extended its 2026 budget consultations to the grassroots, reaffirming its commitment to making the people’s needs the foundation of its development agenda.
Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Laolu Akindolire, made this known in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North East Local Government area, during a consultative forum on the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2026 Budget.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from the four local government areas in the Akoko axis.
Represented by the Administrative Secretary of the Budget Office, Mr. Stephen Aworere, Akindolire restated the government’s resolve to ensure that citizens’ inputs form a major part of the budget planning and implementation process.
“This consultative forum is a cornerstone of our participatory budgeting process. It reflects our administration’s commitment to listening to the people and translating their needs into actionable policies,” the Commissioner stated.
He assured the participants that all submissions would be carefully reviewed, adding that the 2026 budget would be presented to the State House of Assembly before the end of October.
A participant, High Chief Aiyemowa Jimoh, who represented the Olubaka of Oka, Oba (Dr.) Yusuf Adebori Adeleye, commended the state government for its inclusive approach to governance, saying, “By opening the budget planning process to public input, the government has demonstrated its dedication to transparency and accountability.”
The forum, which drew traditional rulers, student union leaders, women’s groups, NGOs, community-based organisations, civil society groups, and the media, provided a platform for participants to highlight key areas of concern.
Among the priority needs identified were the rehabilitation of rural roads, renovation of public schools, upgrading of local market infrastructure, provision of potable water, and enhanced security architecture.
Other demands included greater support for local farmers, transparent youth empowerment initiatives, and increased representation of women in leadership positions.
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