The Ogun State House of Assembly has called for increased funding for the health sector with a view to reducing infant and maternal mortality, and increase life expectancy.
Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Wahab Haruna in company of Tella Babatunde, Yusuf Sherif, Lawal Samusideen, Fola Salami and Odunuga Kaka, made the appeal, while receiving a delegation from the Family Health Initiative, an advocacy working group during a visit to the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Tuesday.
Other lawmakers including the Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff, Babatunde Tella and Odunuga sought for consideration of more funding to the sector; while calling for an improved attitudinal change on the part of health officials, with a view to delivering quality health service to the people.
Earlier, the Chairperson of the group, Mrs Oluwakemi Balogun, called for collaboration between the Assembly and the state government, as well as public spirited individuals in funding the sector, especially on the need to address infant/ maternal mortality and provision of family planning kits and other consumables.
In another development, the Assembly acknowledged Governor Dapo Abiodun’s request for the approval of the 2025-2027 State Medium Term Framework (MTEF) ahead of the preparation of the State 2025 budget.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, acknowledged the Governor’s correspondence dated 23rd August, 2024, during the plenary held at the Assembly.
The letter partly reads: “In compliance with the relevant sections of the Ogun State Fiscal Responsibility Law, 2020 (as amended) I hereby inform the Rt. Honourable Speaker and other Honourable Members of the State House of Assembly that the Executive Council has considered and endorsed the prepared 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (i.e. 2025 2027 MTEF) for the State.
“Consequently, I seek your consideration and approval of the attached 2025-2027 State Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to facilitate the process of Planning and Budgeting for year 2025 and the outer years of 2026 and 2027.”