LAGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday presented the 2012 budget proposal to the state House of Assembly. The total budget of N485.292 billion exceeded last year's revised budget by 7.66 per cent.While presenting the budget, Fashola lifted the suspension on toll collection on Lekki-Epe Expressway, lamenting that the state government lost about N4 billion to the opposition to the commencement of the toll in 2011.Fashola's decision to lift the suspension on the toll is likely to elicit protest from residents in the area who are against the government's decision to erect tolls.According to the governor, the sectoral allocation provided in the budget includes:General Public Service N108.526 billion (22.4 per cent); Public Order and Safety N13.849 billion (2.9 per cent); Economic Affairs N154.419 billion (31.8 per cent); Environmental Protection;N44.227 billion (9.1 per cent); Housing and Community Amenities N42.812 billion (8.8 per cent); Health N39.754 billion (8.2 per cent); Recreation, Culture and Religion N5.989 billion (1.2 per cent); Education N72.346 billion (14.9 per cent); and Social Protection N3.370 billion (0.7 per cent).The increase in the 2012 budgetary proposal, according to Fashola, is due to the inflation caused by the global economic recession. He maintained that the differences in the ratios were dictated by recent wage increases and the emerging recurrent costs of staffing and maintaining of the various infrastructure projects the state had embarkead upon over the years that were now being put to use.The governor added that the 2011 budget performance had increased by 66 per cent, stressing that 'in spite of the very turbulent economic environment after a global recession in 2009 to 2010 and a very keenly contested election. I am happy to report that we have achieved quite a significant portion of the goals we set for ourselves in the 2011 Budget with almost six weeks still to go in year 2011.'He, however, added that the implementation of the new minimum wage was costing the state government about N2 billion extra every month, which according to him would have been expended on other projects.On the government's decision on the toll, Fashola explained that the N4 billion lost could have been used to provide other developmental projects across the state, but for the unrest and threat by the residents who only saw undue exploitation and unprecedented hardship in the whole idea.He disclosed that the concessionaire, Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC), which financed the project would reserve the right to announce the new takeoff date of the toll, which was earlier scheduled to commence on January 3, 2011 before the indefinite suspension.According to Fashola, 'the politically motivated resistance to the commencement of toll collection on the Eti-Osa, Lekki-Epe Expressway means that your government had to part with N4 billion for year 2011 which could have been used to provide more schools, inner roads, hospitals and social needs in Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe areas.
Click here to read full news..
