Written by Lawal Jamiu A.

Ogun State House of Assembly has concluded the defence of the 2026 budget proposals by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government in the State with a clear message to all the MDAs to ensure that public resources are planned, allocated and utilised in a transparent, efficient and impartial manner to promote quality service delivery.

The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Musefiu Lamidi threw the challenge to all Heads of MDAs today, while concluding the exercise at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, enjoining them to prioritize accountability, probity and value for government resources.

Hon. Lamidi in company of his Vice, Hon. Wahab Haruna and other chairmen of the House Sub-Committees, called on all the heads of the various agencies to share in a collective responsibility to deliver a 2026 budget that is realistic and truly responsive to the aspirations of the people.

“On behalf of the Finance and Appropriation Committee of this great House, I wish to appreciate all Ministers, Departments and Agencies for the attendance, presentations, and engagements throughout the 2026 Budget Defence Exercise. This exercise has once again reinforced the constitutional role of the Constituent Assembly as the custodian of public finance and the voice of the people in ensuring that public resources are planned, allocated, and utilised in a transparent, efficient, and impartial manner”, he stated.

He explained that the Committee approached the budget review not as an adversarial body but as a constructive engagement, aimed at strengthening service delivery, improving value for money and aligning government spending with the real needs of the people.

The House Committee Chairman emphasised that budget approval was not the end of legislative oversight, stating that, “the House will continue to monitor implementation to ensure that funds appropriated and utilised are strictly for approved purposes, in line with due process and existing financial regulations. Where gaps have been identified, the MDAs are encouraged to provide additional documentation and allocations as requested by the Committee within the stipulated timelines.”

He also acknowledged the contributions of other lawmakers and government officials, saying, “I wish to thank Mr. Speaker and honourable members of the Committee for their diligence and commitment, as well as the MDAs for their cooperation”.

According to him, “together we share a collective responsibility to deliver a 2026 budget that is realistic, implementable, and truly responsive to the aspirations of our people.”

He concluded by expressing optimism that the deliberations would strengthen public financial management and ensure that the budget deliver tangible results for citizens across the State.

In a related development, the State Internal Revenue Service, led by its Executive Chairman Olugbenga Olaleye, highlighted the Ministry’s revenue performance of over N84bn as at last October, representing over 83% achievement for the outgoing year; while projecting a revenue target of N250bn for the next fiscal year.

Speaking on the figures, Olaleye emphasised the need to vigorously implement the new tax laws issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure all taxable incomes are captured, expand the tax net, and plug revenue leakages within the State.

Other agencies that had their budget proposals considered by the State lawmakers included the State Ministry of Budget and Planning, led by the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan; the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant General, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Adesina Towolawi.