Gov. Amosun present N345.42bn budget for 2018

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has presented the 2018 appropriation bill of a total of N345.42 billion to the State House of Assembly in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta the state capital.

In the proposed budget tagged the ‘Budget of Accelerated Development,’ a total of N223.72billion was earmarked for capital expenditure, which represented 64.77 percent of the estimates, while N121.69 billion would be for recurrent expenditure, representing 35.23 percent.

At the budget presentation to the house on Tuesday, November 21, the governor promised to expedite actions on his five cardinal programmes with more focus on agriculture that will lead to industrialisation.

The governor said the 2018 appropriation was aimed at meeting its administration’s resolve of delivering dividends of democracy by embarking on new projects and completing ongoing ones.

Amosun also said the expected revenue from both the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the Federation account was N197.258billion, representing 57.10 per cent.

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Amosun seeks assembly’s approval for N14b loan

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has written to the House of Assembly seeking approval to access the N14.16 billion loan from the planned federal government’s budget support facility.

The latest bailout funds for insolvent states promise single digit interest rate and a repayment lifespan of 10 years. Speaker of the State Assembly, Suraju Ishola Adekunbi disclosed this during plenary.

The Speaker, who read the governor’s letter indicating the state government’s proposal to access the loan facility, said Amosun is seeking their approval for the amount not exceeding N15.5 billion.

The governor, in the letter dated June 14, gave the need to navigate the current economic downturn as well as meet the state’s obligations, especially, payment of workers, pensioners and other stakeholders, as reasons for the proposal to access the fund.

“I have extensively considered the suitability of the programme to Ogun. The Federal Allocation to the state has adversely reduced due to the global fall in oil price.

“The tenor of the facility is 10 years with single digit interest rate, which will confer significant savings in the cost of funds to Ogun government.

“Authorise the executive to do all such other things as may be required to ensure the successful execution and completion of the Note Issue.

“Authorise monthly deductions from monthly statutory allocations accruing to the state from the Federation Account as may be required to service the loan”, the letter reads in part.

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Amosun opposes creation of grazing zones

The Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Friday added his voice in opposing the federal government’s proposed creation of grazing zones across the country.

The governor said the creation of grazing zones cannot solve the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the country, adding that he would rather support the establishment of cattle ranches as lasting solution to the conflict.

He was speaking in Abeokuta, the state capital, while playing host to the technical committee on herdsmen/farmers clashes constituted by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin.

Controversy had since trailed the alleged sponsorship of a bill at the National Assembly for the creation of grazing zones to address violent clashes between herdsmen and farm owners.

Amosun described as “timely and a step in the right direction” the setting up of a technical committee by the Armed Forces to proffer solution to the crisis.

He called on Nigerians to embrace peace with one another and noted that nothing can be solved through violence.

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Photo: Riot in Ilaro as police kill okada rider

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta: Commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada went on the rampage in Ilaro, headquarters of Yewaland, Ogun State on Thursday following the killing of their colleague by a mobile policeman last night.

The deceased, identified as Hameed, 28 and a father of two, was allegedly killed at a police checkpoint in the town. Narrating the incident, a colleague of the deceased, identified the culprit as one Muffy attached to the Ilaro Police division.

“Hameed was killed last night by Muffy, a policeman attached to the new DPO at Ilaro Division.

“He was returning home when he was stopped at the checkpoint by policemen who accused him of riding a stolen motorcycle.

“An argument ensued between them and before anyone could intervene, Hameed was shot dead,” the motorcyclist narrated.

The protesting okada riders burnt used tyres and other items on major streets of Ilaro calling for the arrest of the policeman who killed their colleague. They were later dispersed by policemen.

The corpse, it was gathered, has been handed over to the family of the deceased for burial.

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Police arrest fake lawyer in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a fake lawyer, Adeleye Balogun, at Ota in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government of Area of the state. The 47-year-old suspect, according to the police, has been parading himself and practising as a trained lawyer in the area for about 10 years.

The fake lawyer was nabbed on Monday by police detectives attached to the Ota Division of the command when a complainant reported the suspect to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Division for allegedly duping him of some amount of money to the tune of N140,000.

The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, said while the suspect’s illegal activities were being investigated, one of the respected lawyers at Ota, provided information, which aided the investigation.

Adejobi said, “While the police detectives were carrying on with their interrogation, one of the revered legal practitioners in the area alerted the police of the suspect’s criminal antecedents.

“He urged the police to widen the scope of their interrogation, hence the confession of Adeleye Balogun, who has been practising at a popular chamber in Ota for a decade, as a fake legal practitioner.”

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, has demanded a thorough investigated.

“The suspect and others, who might be indicted in the course of police investigation will be charged to court without delay and their details be sent to the Nigeria Bar Association and other concerned groups/bodies for necessary action, ” he said.

Ali also expressed disappointment in some individuals who engaged themselves in nefarious activities and dupe innocent Nigerians of their hard earned income.

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