From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Majority Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the 2024 budget will be unusual in the history of Nigeria as it is not dedicated to consumables like before.
He said it is a budget of renewed hope in which the greater percentage was committed to capital development projects.
He stated this in Ilesa, Osun State, at the weekend, during the burial ceremony of Mrs Beatrice Akinola, mother of Charles Akinola, Chief of Staff to former governor Adegboyega Oyetola, and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
He said, “The budget of the year 2024 is going to be a budget of reality, that of a renewed hope and a budget that will help re-chat our course as a nation. There is no doubting the fact that this is an unusual time in the life of our country, the entire global economy is in crisis and Nigeria is not an exception, but when the going gets tough, it is said that the tough gets going.
“Difficult as the times are, it is also a time that will show the ingenuity of leadership and we have a leader today, in the person of President Bola Tinubu, who I know has a scientific understanding of what is to be done and will do Nigeria proud and will bring to bear, his intellectual acumen in ensuring that our issues are addressed so life could become more meaningful for Nigerians.
“And from the midterm expenditure framework that was sent to the National Assembly, it is obvious to us that it is going to be an unusual budget, a greater percentage was committed to capital development projects unlike in the past when so much percentage was committed to consumables. So, it is not going to be the same story again,” Bamidele said.
One of the children of the deceased, Dr Charles Akinola, said the late Akinola was a teacher who taught many national leaders, like General Yakubu Gowon, Professor Isaiah Audu, Professor Mike Beiki, Uncle Mike Angulu, and she represents solid positivity which has become a value for the family.