Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, on Tuesday, signed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of the state into law.
The governor also signed into law the state’s Contributory Health Insurance Bill and the Ondo State Social Protection Bill, both into law.
The state’s House of Assembly had, last year, approved the N181 billion budget presented to it by Governor Akeredolu.
Signing the law at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Governor Akeredolu, who was flanked by the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Hon. David Oloyelogun, declared that the laws would enhance development in the state if properly implemented.
The governor stressed that his intention was to take governance to the people through people oriented programmes aimed at taking care of the populace.
He said his administration would concentrate more on capital expenditure to abridge the huge infrastructural deficit in the state.
The governor, who lamented the huge concentration of budgets on recurrent expenditure, stated that the state of development in the state was worrisome, adding, however that he was prepared to develop the state and make it envy of others.
In the budget, capital expenditure for the fiscal year stands at N80 billion, while debt service will cost N13.600 billion and statutory transfers local governments is put at N8.307.
On the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme law, the governor said the law would ensure that every resident of the state has access to good health care services.
Said he, “The Bill will ensure that all residents of Ondo State have financial protection, physical access to quality and affordable health care services. It will also protect families from the financial hardship posed by huge medical bills and regulate the rise in the cost of health care services. It will ensure that the poor and vulnerable shall be guaranteed the basic minimum package as defined under the National Health Act.”
Governor Akeredolu said the bill would bring equitable distribution of health care costs across different income groups and maintain high standard of health care delivery services in the health sector.
According to him, the bill would provide efficiency in health care service delivery and improve private sector participation in the provision of health care services among others.
He said his administration would continue to make the well-being of the people the commanding principle upon which all activities of his administration are laid.