2023 budget: Lagos to widen tax net, plans N1.4tr IGR as health, education suffers lower allocation
Ayodele Olalere
Lagos State Commissioner for Economic and Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, on Tuesday, said the state plans to generate N1.428 trillion in 2023 out of which N157 Billion has been allocated to education and N149 billion to health.
In order to realise the objective of the IGR, Egube said the state will use technology to block leakages and improve government services to the people, focus on ease of doing business and widen its tax net.
He urged Lagosians to ensure they pay their taxes as at when due.
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The allocation to health and education in this year’s budget is contrast to the 2022 budget where the health budget was N155.93 billion and education received N171.6bilion.
According to the commissioner who spoke at a briefing in Alausa, a total of N1.768 billion is the estimated budget for 2023 , adding that N482.86 billion will be expended on infrastructure which is 27.3% of the budget.
Egube said N1.02O trillion will be spent on capital expenditure while N748.097 billion will be for recurrent.
He further said 65% of the expected revenue of N1.4 trillion will be contributed by the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS while 23 percent will be generated by the MDAs.
In the area of debt, Egube said the state is the best in servicing its debt and gave the assurance tbe state has the ability to pay its debt.
In health, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi said the Massey Hospital which is under construction is a large project which will be completed in 18 months, adding that the cost of the hospital and other health projects necessitated changes in the state’s capital expenditure this year.
The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo said the state will conduct more training for teachers and continue the use of technology in teaching in various government schools.
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Engr. Aramide Adeyoye who is the Special Adviser on Works said various road ongoing projects will.be completed such as the completion of the Phase 2 of the Lekki-Epe road, Ojo, Ilogbo and Adalemo roads, among others.
Others are the commencement of the Fourth mainland bridge, the completion of the Lagos revenue house, the Opebi link bridge, the regional roads and all road projects in Ikorodu, construction of the second phase of the blue line from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, completion of eight stadia across the five IBILE divisions of Lagos State, to facilitate youth development, engagement and community sports, continuous construction and rehabilitation of schools across the state to significantly improve access to quality education
Adeyoye further said the 130 bed new Massey ultra-modern and fit for purpose pediatric programmed and emergency general hospital, when completed, will be the largest specialist children hospital in Sub- Saharan Africa.
