Fashola Happy With 2010 Budget Implementation

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Thursday said he was satisfied with the implementation of this year’s budget by the government

Fashola disclosed this to journalists at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja while assessing the performance of the first quarter of the 2010 budget.

He said that despite the late passage of the 2010 appropriation bill into law by the state House of Assembly and his assent to it, the budget had recorded a 49 per cent implementation.

 The Tide source  reports that the budget was slashed by N40 billion bringing it to N389.571 billion as against N429.571 billion.

Fashola said:“This was far below the 2009 first quarter performance of the state budget that stood at 67 per cent.

 “We are certainly sure that the budget would pick up very soon and live to the   expectations of the citizens by impacting considerably on the lives of Lagosians through the provision of infrastructure.”

He appealed to Lagosians to ensure they keep their environment clean as the rainy season begins

The governor  promised that his administration would continue with the construction of drainage, clearing of canals and blocked drains across the state to forestall flooding during the rainy season.

“We are going to experience heavy rainfall this year because of the changes in weather and every one has to roll up his or her sleeve to curtail incidences of flooding and environmental disaster that would arise from it,’’ he said.

 He urged Lagosians to restrain themselves from dumping refuse to allow for easy flow of the drains.

Fashola said he was happy that residents of the state were beginning to enjoy the dividends of 2009 budget that was devoted to child and mother development.

On education, the governor said that many children have enrolled in public schools.

 “We now have more functional public schools, more maternal health care hospitals which are the dividends of last year’s budget and as a result of proper planning,’’ he said.

He said the 2009 budget was spent on the provision of potable water, security and reduction of crime in the state.