2025 Budget: Oyo Government to Hold 6th Stakeholders’ Consultative Engagement

In its continued commitment to involving the people of Oyo State in shaping the state’s annual budgets, the Oyo State Government will commence its sixth consultative engagement with stakeholders on Wednesday. This engagement aims to produce a people-centered budget for 2025.

The process will kick off at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, followed by town hall meetings across the state’s seven zones. The announcement was made in a press release signed by Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor of Oyo State, on September 23, 2024.

Oyo State’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musbau Babatunde, highlighted the significance of the engagement during the weekend. He noted that this marks the sixth in the series of Town Hall meetings initiated since Governor Seyi Makinde assumed office in 2019. Prof. Babatunde emphasized that the meeting is designed to involve citizens in both the preparation and implementation of the 2025 budget.

“This year’s engagement will redefine the governance strategy of this administration,” he stated. “The initiative is aligned with global best practices in budgeting, ensuring an inclusive and transparent process rather than a top-down approach.”

He further outlined the objectives of the engagement, which include restructuring the state’s processes to establish a strong foundation for long-term development goals. “The restructuring efforts are ongoing and aim to reduce the state’s dependency on federal allocations by increasing internally generated revenue (IGR) and ensuring the budget is both realistic and achievable.”

Prof. Babatunde added that the consultative meetings will strengthen the relationship between the government and the people by actively seeking their input.

“Apart from ensuring that resources are directed towards impactful projects and programs that improve the welfare of citizens, this year’s Town Hall meetings will also foster public confidence in the government. This engagement will enhance budget performance and support the administration’s developmental objectives,” he concluded.