The Lagos State government on Wednesday assured residents of fair representation and significant investment in the area of infrastructure in the 2022 budget preparation.
This was made known at the conclusion of a five-day consultative forum held at the Radio Lagos Hall, LTV, Agidingbi, Ikeja, on the creation of the 2022 appropriation bill across the five divisions of the State (Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe) aimed at seeking the input of different stakeholders on the incoming year budget.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the event, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, who thanked Lagosians for their participation in the budget preparation process, said the government would carefully look into the inputs, concerns and submissions by their representatives while assuring of equal representation in the budget.
“These five days have been very important to us; we have heard from the people of Lagos. We are going to document everything that we have heard from them. We won’t promise that we’ll be able to do everything that they have highlighted because the budget is always out driven by the limit such as revenue but we promise that we will take them seriously.
“We are going to ensure that we engage the Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs) in respect of these things and we’re going to review the submissions from the MDAs to see how much of these things that can be accommodated in the budget.
“I’m proud because I’m in a state serving people that are also responsible for their own development and they are willing to engage. That engagement actually shows the amount of faith they have in the government.
“We are very thankful for the people of Lagos that they have entrusted us with this amount of responsibility for leadership and to deliver outcomes to them,” Egube said.
The Commissioner stated that the 2022 budget estimate will follow the audacious 1.164 trillion 2021 appropriation law, focusing significantly on infrastructure and other people-oriented programs.
“We showed significant audacity in the 1.164 trillion budget for 2021 and that will repeat itself in 2022. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is extremely courageous, versatile and he’s a human being at heart, so listening to the people is second nature to him and that’s what we will see in directing the economy in 2022. It will be a significant focus on infrastructure.
“The budget will have direct implication for government actions but it will also have implication for stimulating the entire private sector to act in favour of the people of Lagos for the benefit of all Lagosians.
“The budget which you will be seeing in 2022 will not be coming out of stale ideas that were expressed in past consultative forums,” he said.
In his address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget, Aare Bayo Sodade said: “this forum is aimed at reaching out to the five divisions of Lagos State so that inputs of all stakeholders are taken into cognisance in the State’s Budget preparation process to further ensure transparency and acceptability of the Budget. The Y2022 budget is geared towards the development of the State and its residents through the provision of improved welfare packages, adequate and proper distribution of wealth and critical infrastructural development of each division of the state for a more sustainable living.”
The State Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria (Lagos State Chapter), Mr. Lekan Biliamin Suleimon-Oba expressed his happiness and appreciation to Governor Sanwo-Olu and Lagos State Government for the high level of youth engagement in the State while making an appeal for an increase in their yearly grant.
The Consultative forum organised by the State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget attracted an audience from Traditional and Community leaders, Religious leaders, Professionals, Trade groups, NGOs, Youth Organizations, People Living With Disability (PLWD) and the Organised Private Sector.
