Fashola Signs N450B Appropriation Bill into Law

LAGOS, Jan 31, (THEWILL) - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) today signed the 2011 State Budget Appropriation totaling N450, 775, 000, 000.00 into law, saying that though the administration has a few months before the general election, it would run the race till the very last day of the first mandate given to it by Lagosians.

Fashola spoke inside the conference room of Lagos House Ikeja while signing the appropriation bill, adding that the budget was made up of N198 billion in recurrent expenditure and N252 billion in capital expenditure.

“We can give qualitative service to the people, improve quality of life, provide a safer and secure Lagos, a more prosperous and growth oriented Lagos State, a state where the economy works, where jobs are provided, where people earn a legitimate income that helps them put food on their table,” the governor said.

He said the administration “has produced a document that accommodates a better salary package for public servants, a document that strengthens the administration to address issues of food security by empowering the development of the agricultural sector.

“We have produced a document that enables us to aggressively address the issue of accreditation that has affected our university and other universities across the world. It also gives us the capacity to deal very decisively with infrastructure and human capacity issues with the belief that sooner than later, we will restore not only the accreditation of the courses but the pre-eminent status of the university as a first among equals in the country and beyond,” Fashola added.

He expressed his appreciation to Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chairmen of the House Appropriation, Budget and Finance committees and their members for working closely together with the Executive to bring about a budget that would continue to have meaning and impact on the lives of the people on whose behalf they hold office.

He also commended Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget as well as Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Matters for being very useful liaison between the Executive and Legislature.