By Kolawole Ojebisi
Details have started emerging about the content of the 2025 fiscal year in Ondo State.
As seen in the budget, a total of N462 million has been earmarked for the maintenance of the cars of the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, his Deputy Speaker, and 24 other legislators in the state.
This is despite Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa presenting brand new SUVs to the Speaker and his deputy, Olamide Oladiji, and Abayomi Akinruntan, less than 12 months ago.
According to the provisions of the approved fiscal document of the state tagged, “Budget Of Recovery”, N77 million was set aside for the office of the Speaker.
The amount is said to be for the maintenance of motor vehicles and transport equipment, while the office of the Deputy Speaker and the State Assembly were allocated N35m and the sum of N350m allocated for the other 24 lawmakers.
In the budget passed by the Assembly in December 2024, the sum of N235m will be expended on telephone calls as the State Assembly will be receiving N200 million, the Speaker N28m and the Deputy Speaker N7 million for telephone charges in 2025.
The budget further revealed that a total of N791 million was budgeted for local and international travel and transport for the three composite offices, as the Speaker will receive N181m, the Deputy Speaker got N90 million, and the legislature N520 million.
A total of N200m was earmarked for the printing of non-security documents for the State House of Assembly, while the sum of N25m was budgeted for the office of the Speaker and N6 million for the office of the Deputy Speaker.
The breakdown was published under serial numbers 11202300100, 11200300100, and 11202100100 in the budget, N300m was earmarked for all the lawmakers with separate welfare packages pegged at N26m and N11m for the Speaker and his Deputy.
Additionally, N33 million was budgeted for electricity charges in the office of the Speaker, N8 million for the office of the Deputy Speaker, and N300 million for the entire House of Assembly.
For hotel accommodation for the legislators, N20m was allocated, N50m was for the lawmakers’ refreshments and meals, while the Speaker and his Deputy will receive N25m and N10m, respectively for their refreshments and meals.
A resident of the state described the budgets for the lawmakers as a misplacement of priority, considering the economic situation of Nigeria.
He said “Spending so much on a small group of people does not convey concern for the plight of their constituents especially with this economic hardship being experienced in the state and country”.
