Business
‘Lagos Recorded 83% Budget Performance In 2014’
The Lagos State Gov
ernment said that it implemented 83 per cent of the state’s N489billion 2014 budget.
Gov. Babatunde Fashola said this while briefing newsmen after a budget review session of the State Executive Council in Ikeja.
He described the figure as impressive but said it was two per cent short of the 85 per cent recorded at the end of the 2013 fiscal year.
The governor blamed the slight drop on the revenue shortfall in the last quarter, occasioned by reduced federal allocation to the state.
“Our last quarter 2014 budget performed 77 per cent and when you add the performances of the first three quarters to the figure, you have an aggregate performance of 83 per cent for 2014.
“ The figure is not at all a bad one and we have already commenced work on the 2015 budget. We hope to make much more impact on the lives of residents with this year’s budget,” he said.
Fashola said even with the corresponding drop in the last quarter budget performance the government executed projects that had impacted positively on the lives of residents.
He cited the installation of solar panels in a number of public schools in the state as being among such projects.
The governor said the 8.8 megawatts Mainland Power Plant built to power government institutions in Ikeja and environs was also delivered within the period.
He said a court in Epe was completed to widen access to justice and enhance its administration.
Fashola said a state-of-the art Cardiac and Renal facility to take care of issues like heart problems and heart failures was also completed.
According to him, the state’s foremost gynaecological centre, Ayinke House, has reached an advanced stage of completion and would be delivered in a matter of weeks.
Fashola said that the government would continue to pursue efforts to better the lots of residents.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Ben Akabueze, in his comments, said that the 2015 budget would focus on completing on-going projects.
He, however, said a number of new projects would be accommodated in the budget which was designed to further empower residents and strengthen infrastructure.