Gboyega Oyetola on Thursday presented his 2019 fiscal plan to the House of Assembly.

The overall N152.7 billion ‘Budget of Hope’ is lower than the N179.2billion budgeted for the outgoing year.

The governor said he would build on the giant strides of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Oyetola also prioritised agriculture, healthcare and provision of water in the rural area.

The governor told lawmakers to the admiration of those present that “the era of payment of modulated salaries and allowances and other benefits has become a thing of the past.” He added: “Workers and pensioners are now collecting their full salaries.”

The state is expecting an Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N36 billion at “a minimum N3billion monthly” out of the projected total revenue of N150billion. The rest will come from other sources including the Federation Account, grants, aids, investment and others.

The fiscal plan is heavy on the side of capital projects which got N91.5billion –65 per cent of estimated expenditure.

Education was allocated N10.4 billion or 11.36 per cent of the planned spending.

On the sector, Oyetola said: “We shall review the school curriculum to achieve value reorientation and to create a sense of worth belonging in our youths. Consequently, History shall be re-introduced in our secondary schools while Civic Education shall be expanded to incorporate the Omoluabi ethos.

“Focused-attention shall also be given to technical and vocational education to inculcate relevant skills for the youth to make them job creators rather than job seekers.

“Our Administration remains irrevocably committed to the joint ownership and co-funding of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso and the College of Health Sciences, Osogbo with the Oyo State Government.”

On healthcare, emphasis will be on Health insurance “to provide effective, quality and affordable services to all and sundry.”

The Health Insurance is a contributory scheme in which the government will pay three per cent while the worker will contribute 1.5 per cent.

There is also a plan to revitalise and equip 332 Primary Health Care (PHC) centres – one in each ward – and 57 secondary health care centres across the three senatorial districts.

The Ede Headworks water scheme is to be rehabilitated to enhance supply of portable water to at least 12 local government areas.

The Ilesa water project whose work restarted with the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari, is to get full attention.

The governor also pledged to give utmost attention to agriculture to generate jobs for the youths and to empower farmers who constitute 70 per cent of the population.

Partnerships with the federal government, development partners and agencies are expected to give the needed boost to the sector.

Oyetola said: “Given the committed leadership this administration is bringing to the table, and the unwavering following, we have been getting from the citizenry, the state of Osun is poised to set the pace in economic independence.

“We shall put strategic in place to further promote food security, employment and create wealth by investing heavily in agriculture, mining, infrastructure, commerce and industry, education and technology.

“We shall also introduce creative and prudent management of our resources, block leakages, and eliminate wastages. We will assemble the brightest of the best minds to drive our policies as we are committed to provide equitable opportunities and people-oriented governance.

“We are committed to consolidating on the various ongoing projects and programmes by delivering on the continuous investment in education, healthcare and social welfare, unwavering attention to security of lives and property, people-oriented and good governance system that founded on zero tolerance for corruption.”

Traditional rulers and federal lawmakers from the state including Senator Sola Adeyeye and House of Representatives members Ajibola Famurewa, Yinka Ajayi, Mrs Ayo Omidiran and former Speaker Adejare Bello attended the budget presentation session.

House Speaker Najeem Salaam promised a speedy consideration of the proposal as requested by the governor as soon as the House resumes from recess on January 14, 2019