Ogun Earmarks 20% Of Revised 2020 Budget To Health Sector


Posted on: Fri 10-07-2020

Ogun State Government said it had earmarked 20 per cent of its revised 2020 budget to the health sector as part of measures to sustain the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, disclosed this yesterday during the virtual consultative meeting on 2020 revised budget held at the Ministry of Budget and Planning, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Abiodun also said that provision had been made for some critical sectors, including education, infrastructure, environment and security to reduce the socio-economic effects of COVID-19 on the people. He explained that the pandemic had brought about its attendance implications, hence government needed to work through them and come up with a realistic budget that would serve the interest of the people.

He said: “Let me reiterate that the government shall continue to focus more attention towards the control and management of the COVID-19 pandemic as it has earmarked about 20 per cent of the revised 2020 budget to the health sector to fight the deadly virus.

“Similarly, provision has been made in the revised budget in some crucial sectors that are expected to mitigate the effects, both economic and social, of COVID-19 pandemic in the education, environment, infrastructure, social protection and public order and safety sectors.”

The meeting, the governor noted, was necessitated by the current review of the 2020 budget as a result of COVID-19, pointing out that expenditure, such as personnel emoluments, monthly running costs and other related expenses could not be waived by the government.

Abiodun said the state had already incurred expenses by establishing isolation centre at Ikenne, Abeokuta and Sagamu, training 426 public health workers and fumigating public buildings, among others, in its efforts at curbing the spread of coronavirus.

He, however, said that, as a government committed to inclusiveness, openness, accountability and transparency, the present administration believes a change in the pattern of expenditure from a collective agreement should also have the input of the people.

Source: Guardian