Align your Proposals with the State’s Strategic Policy Goals, Take Ownership -Akindolire tasks Budget Officers.
As Ondo State government intensifies efforts towards achieving a realistic budget for 2026 fiscal year, the State commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Laolu Akindolire has charged Budget Officers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to align their proposals with the State’s strategic policy goals, the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and the realities of available resources
The commissioner, who gave the charge in Akure while delivering a speech at a pivotal Budget Workshop for Budget Officers in the State with the theme “Enhancing Budget Realism for Effective Service Delivery”, emphasized on the State’s renewed commitment to achieving measurable outcomes and strengthening public trust in governance.
He affirmed budget realism as the central pillar for preparation and implementation of the 2026 fiscal year budget in the State, adding that the workshop targets the persistent issue of the MDAs submitting overly ambitious or unrealistic
budget proposals that exceed their capacity for execution.
He said “We must move beyond mere figures on paper to achievable, evidence-based, and performance-driven budgeting. Unrealistic budgeting leads to abandoned projects, poor performance ratings, and inefficiencies that ultimately erode public confidence”.
According to him, the 2026 Budget is anchored on deepening reforms and accelerating development, guided by eight strategic policy thrusts, which include Sustained Food Security and Agricultural Transformation, Human Capital Development and Skills Enhancement,
Infrastructure Expansion and Modernization,
Sustained Drive for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Mobilization, Resilient and Inclusive Community Development, Social Inclusion and Social Protection, Economic Diversification and Industrial Growth,
Prudent Fiscal Management.
To ensure realism and accountability, Akindolire stressed that his Ministry would subject all submissions to heightened scrutiny, approving only those projects and programmes that align with the Governor’s Strategic Policy Priorities with clearly defined deliverables and feasibility within the State’s fiscal capacity
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Administrative Secretary of the Budget Office Mr. Stephen Aworere, noted that the Ministry would not entertain any unnecessary budget adjustment or increase by MDAs, saying “It will not be business as usual”
Afolabi Kudirat Abimbola,
Media Manager,
MEP&B
