Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has presented the 2024 appropriation bill of N159.5 billion to the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

The Governor christened it ‘Budget of Sustainable Growth and Development’ and laid it before the lawmakers and other stakeholders at the Assembly complex on Friday as part of the activities marking his one year in office.

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He explained that the 2024 appropriation bill, with recurrent expenditure at N87.5 billion, representing 55 per cent and capital expenditure pegged at N71.9 billion, or 45 per cent of the total budget size, was designed in line with the present economic realities in the country and inputs from the citizens.

Oyebanji stated that his administration was committed to fulfilling his six-pillar agenda across all sectors of the economy.

He mentioned, “The budget is a key tool that will enable us to give effect to the performance bond and ultimately fulfil the social contract we signed with the good people of Ekiti State.”

“In line with our open governance policy and participatory governance, it is instructive to note that the 2024 budget preparation process was conducted with respect to our avowed principle of inclusive participation.

I held town hall meetings across the three senatorial districts for our people to collate and articulate their needs and for us to listen to the needs of our towns and communities for consideration in the 2024 budget.

Many of the inputs obtained during the engagements have been incorporated into this proposal, fulfilling our bottom-up approach to government policy formulation and implementation,” he said.

The Governor, in the presentation, said that infrastructure will cost N20.3 billion; health and human services, N3.3 billion; micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises, N5.7 billion; education, N2.5 billion; agriculture, N1.6 billion; and water, N2.3 billion.

He called on the lawmakers to give the budget estimate quick consideration to help the administration deliver its core mandates to the people across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Speaking, the Speaker, Adeoye Aribasoye, said that the house would ensure critical dialogue, proper scrutiny, and constructive engagements with relevant bodies before passing the 2024 budget.

While noting that the bill, as presented, reflected progressive continuity, the speaker observed that the lawmakers would examine the document to ensure it aligns with the vision of shared prosperity and economic growth, among other grounds.

“We will engage in constructive dialogue, debate, and collaboration with MDAs to ensure the passage of the budget in record time,” the Speaker said.

President Bola Tinubu has directed speedy action to facilitate the establishment of technology and innovative centres across the six geopolitical zones to promote economic diversification in the country.

Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji stated this, yesterday, during a facility tour at the technology and innovation centre of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Abuja.

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The Minister who went on the tour with the Director General of the Council, Prof. Hussain Doko-Ibrahim was shown the sodium silicate pilot plant, castor oil and derivative pilot plant, soap noodles pilot plant, pharmaceutical-grade talc pilot plant, amongst others.

He said the innovation centres when established would ensure access to modern technologies to enable the country to benefit from ground-breaking innovations.

The minister added that the establishment of the technology and innovative centers would help transition Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-driven economy.

He said: “As the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, I am pleased to witness the impressive array of pilot plants established by the Council to demonstrate the conversion and commercial viability of Research and Development (R&D) outcomes into industrial inputs and products. These pilot plants cover various industries and products, such as paints, fertilizers, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food processing, personal protective equipment, etc.

“They are a testament to the Council’s commitment to expanding the frontiers of research, development, and innovation in Nigeria in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of this Administration as directed by Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“As we are aware, the Federal Government, under the able leadership of the President, Asiwaju, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR in line with Presidential Executive Order No. 5, has given a directive for fast-tracking the creation of these Technology and Innovation Centers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The replication nationwide will ensure more people access and benefit from these ground-breaking technologies.

The minister further explained that the centres will eliminate the siloed approach to current Research and Development activities in Nigeria.

“This centers will establish a collaborative platform for scientists nationwide, in the African region, and internationally, fostering shared experiences, insights, and best practices. It will also Provide a platform for showcasing and analyzing research outcomes, paving the way for potential patenting and commercialization”, he added.

Lebanon said on Saturday that Israel was behind cross-border fire that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded six others near the border the previous day.

Israel’s military said it was looking into the circumstances of the fatal strike Friday which also injured journalists from AFP, Reuters and Al Jazeera.

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“We are very sorry for the journalist’s death,” military spokesman Richard Hecht told a briefing in reference to the Reuters video journalist killed, Issam Abdallah.

On the question of who launched the strike, Hecht said that “we are looking into it”.

The Lebanese army said in a statement that “the Israeli enemy fired a rocket shell that hit a civilian car belonging to a media team, leading to the death of Issam Abdallah”.

Lebanon’s foreign ministry also blamed Israel and labelled the strike a “deliberate killing” and a “crime against freedom of speech and journalism”.

The group of journalists from different media, wearing press vests and helmets, was near the village of Alma al-Shaab, close to the border with Israel, when they came under “direct” fire, according to two eyewitnesses.

The border has been rocked by violence since Palestinian Islamist group Hamas killed 1,300 in its October 7 attack on Israel, sparking retaliatory bombing of Gaza that has killed 1,900 there.

Israel has massed forces and tanks along the northern border with Lebanon, a country with which it remains technically at war, and where the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah has a heavy presence.

The Israeli military has said that Gaza City residents must not delay their departure before a military offensive starts, as people leaving the north of the territory again jammed roads south.

Ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive against Hamas, which attacked southern Israel on October 7, Israel has designated two safe routes for more than one million residents of northern Gaza to leave for the south of the blockaded territory.

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Military spokesman Richard Hecht said there is a safe passage “window” between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) on the roads, down the Gaza coast and through the centre of the narrow Palestinian territory, which is about 40 kilometres (25 miles) long.

Thousands of Gazans packed buses, cars and donkey carts again on Saturday to escape the northern zone.

Without saying how many days the window would remain, Hecht told reporters: “We know this is going to take time but we recommend people not to delay.”

Israel has faced calls from the United Nations, United States and European Union to delay an expected full offensive to give civilians time to leave.

The Israeli military has indicated that Gaza city will be the focus of its operations because this is the base for the Hamas leadership that it blames for the attacks last week that left at least 1,300 dead in Israel.

Gaza authorities say at least 2,215 people have died in Israeli retaliatory strikes against Gaza targets over the past seven days.