Delta State Government Assures On Improved Services in 2024 Budget

The Delta State Government is gearing up to deliver a more comprehensive and effective 2024 state budget that addresses the concerns of its residents. During a Zoom meeting, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Sonny Akporokiamo Ekedayen, shed light on various aspects of the upcoming budget, which aims to enhance the lives of Deltans. Housing has been a significant concern for many residents, particularly students who have been grappling with the high cost of accommodation.  The commissioner pledged to address this issue by acquiring vast land and collaborating with developers to construct affordable housing options, with a particular focus on students’ needs. Road infrastructure is another critical area in the state, with complaints about the deteriorating state of the Efurrun Abraka Agbor road, which residents consider a safety hazard.  The commissioner assured the public that work is already underway to repair the road, emphasizing the government’s commitment to delivering high-quality infrastructure.  Although concrete construction was preferred, cost considerations led to the decision to use asphalt. Recognizing the importance of food security, the government plans to invest in farm settlements to make food more accessible and affordable for the people of Delta State.  This step is expected to have a positive impact on local agriculture and food supply. In addition to these specific areas, the 2024 budget will also encompass crucial sectors such as security and education, aiming to ensure the satisfaction of Delta’s residents. Commissioner Ekedayen urged the public to be patient and supportive as the new government settles into its responsibilities.  He said the Delta State Government is determined to improve the lives of its citizens through a well-rounded and people-centric budget for the upcoming year.

IGR: FCTA Sets N250bn Monthly Target, Mobilises Agencies

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has mobilised its revenue generating agencies to improve its Internally Generating Revenue (IGR) to N250 billion a month. Mr Chinedum Elechi, Mandate Secretary Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and Public Private Partnership (EPRGPP) Secretariat, FCTA, stated this in Abuja at the weekend. Elechi told journalists after a meeting with revenue generating agencies that FCTA had the capacity to generate from N200 billion to N250 billion a month as IGR. “We think that FCTA has the capacity to do N250 billion a month, on a good day and that is the sort of target we are looking at. “We can even do N300 billion a month in some good periods. So that is what we want to work out. “However, in trying to grow revenue, it will also have a human face, because we are going to be dealing with issues of multiple taxation, so things are going to be streamlined. “We are going to make sure that taxation has a human face,” he said. Elechi stressed the need for the citizens to perform their civic duty of paying their taxes as at when due. He explained that the meeting was to find ways to improve IGR in FCT, which he said was pivotal to the aspiration of making Abuja one of the developed capital cities of the world. Elechi said that the meeting was necessary for all the revenue generating agencies to be on the same page and work as a team towards tapping the full revenue potential in the FCT. Describing the meeting as “exploratory”, the secretary stressed the need to lay down some strategies on how to improve IGR. He added that oil revenue was no longer sustainable, stressing, “for us in the FCT, the fall back is the IGR, and we have to work together to make a difference. “The goal is not just to harness what we have but also to improve it. This means that the more we grow our revenue, the better it will be for all of us. “The message is that every person in this room has a responsibility to generate more revenues for the FCTA.” Elechi reminded the revenue generating agencies that their mandate based on the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu was to grow IGR. He assured the agencies that the secretariat would find ways to incentivise performance by agreeing on certain percentages that would go to agencies based on what they generated. “We have all agreed that we are going to work in synergy for the purpose of growing the IGR of the FCT. “This is key because revenue is everything. Without revenue, without income, FCTA will not be able to deal with development issues that require funds. “The Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike has made it clear that he is prepared to run the FCTA with IGR and whatever comes from the federation account will be extra,” he said. On blocking revenue leakages, the secretary said that the agencies would work together in synergy to ensure that all revenue due to FCTA goes to the FCTA. Earlier, the Director, Administration and Finance, EPRGPP, Mr Prospect Ibe, explained that the objective of the meeting was to interact, document challenges and suggest ways forward. The goal, according to him, was to enable FCTA to achieve its mandate. During the interactive session, Dr Babagana Adams, Director, Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage, said that the department generated N3 billion in three years and expressed commitment to improve revenue generation. Also, Alhaji Dan Maradin, Head of Commerce, FCT Water Board, said it had increased its revenues from an average of N1.5 billion annually to over N2 billion. “We were hovering around N150 million to over N300 million monthly,” he said. On his part, Alhaji Malik Tukur, Director, FCT Inland Revenue Service, stressed the need for inter-agency collaboration as against working in silos. Tukur said that FCTA would generate more revenue with strong collaboration among revenue generating agencies. 

Taraba State and oppositions to Gov Kefas’ planned N206bn loan

I’m compelled to put up this rejoinder in a bid to the ongoing effort by the Executive Governor of Taraba State Dr. Agbu Kefas to access some loan to the tune of N206, 776,000,000, from the commercial banks. One concerned citizen of the State, Mallam Abdulluhi Umar has petitioned the Acting Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Mr. Folashdun Shounbi not to grant the loan to the Taraba state government. At the same time, he also urged the Acting CBN Governor to immediately instruct the affected commercial banks to suspend any consideration of granting the requested loan facilities. The petitioner noted that he was worried and concerned because the loan facilities being sought by the state Government were characterized by the brazen violations of subsisting laws of Nigeria guiding the process of the loan application by the various tiers of Government. Mallam Umar cautioned the relevant agencies to investigate the loan process. Umar the petitioner writing through his Counsel, Parlance law office in Garki Abuja, in an 8 pages letter dated 9th August 2023, stated that he was bringing the information to the attention of the Acting CBN Governor for immediate investigation and to daunt all banks involved in the process. Copied in the petition were President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Senate President, the Speaker of House of Representative, the Federal Ministry of Finance, other agencies copied are the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, EFCC Chairman and the NFIU, among others. The petitioner further alleged that the recent loan facilities requested by the state Government from the commercial banks was hasty, ill-conceived, a wasteful venture, that the loan is politically motivated to consolidate power of an embattled Governor, facing challenges to his petition in court, and an attempt by the Governor to put the State in a state of perpetual servitude of paying debts beyond its means and penury under the guise of embarking on purported developmental activities. Ironically, this is uncalled for, a laughable, pathetic and antagonist from the petitioner, that is an enemy of the state. He should know that this is a new administration that just came on board and needed to fulfill all the campaign promises to the state to enable the new Government progress and achieve its tremendous project within and outside the state.  It’s not business as usual, from the former regime. This Government is committed with a lot of projects to execute in many areas, before his 100 days in office and they include tourism, transportation, health, Agriculture and Education among others to be mentioned.  The loan facilities are needed to achieve some of the projects stipulated above to meet its goals and objectives.  The Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas had on 2nd July 2023, written to the Taraba State House Assembly seeking approval to enable the state Government access loan facilities worth the sum of N206 billion only from four commercial banks he explained. The letter was read by the speaker of the house, Honorable John Kirito Bonzena, on the floor of the parliament and subsequently, it was promptly approved by the state house of assembly. The petitioner claimed the move is hasty and ill-advised. The four commercial banks involved in the loan application and their respective loan amounts are as follows; Zenith Bank Plc (83,300,000,000. only) UBA Plc (50,000,000,000. only) Fidelity Bank Plc (50,000,000,000. Only) Keystone Bank Plc (23, 000, 000, 000.  Only).  In addition, the Governor stated that the security for the loan facility from Zenith Bank Plc shall be deducted from the FAAC allocation to Taraba State. While that for the facility from UBA Plc shall be deducted from JAAC belonging to the Taraba State. Furthermore, he stressed that the security loan facility from Fidelity Bank Plc shall be deducted from VAT accruable to Taraba State and finally, the security for the facility from Keystone Bank shall be deducted from Taraba State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) The Governor explained further, that the total rate of the facilities shall be 23% in total, comprising 18% interest and 5% administrative charges deductible upfront, and the tenor of the listed facilities is four (4) years only. Meanwhile the petitioner in his words questioned that the loan facilities and its unfavorable conditions were yet to be fully disclosed to the state house assembly by the ministry of Finance, Budget and planning. The petitioner stresses that the Governor has hotly contested the ongoing litigation at the Taraba Governorship election Tribunal that is yet to deliver its Judgment. Also, he said that the loan amount can be easily diverted to other projects unconnected with what the loan was meant for since the position of the current Government is shaky and may be set aside by the court, His concern was how would the Government repay the huge loans granted to the State? The petitioner is an attention seeker that want to be recognize in a public domain, I could see his frustration, haven’t lost woefully to the People Democratic Party (PDP) with a wild margin, the petitioner is looking for all means to antagonize the present government not to achieved his campaign promise to the good people of the state is a bad omen. Mallam Umar, the Governorship election petition in court is dead on arrival that has no merit, the curtain has been drawn a long time ago, the litigation is a baseless one, nothing good will come out of the petition. I would like to make clear that having litigations going on in a court of law has nothing to do with Governmental activities, Government is a continuing process, with or without the loan Taraba would progress beyond expectations. The Governor Kefas administration is determined to see Taraba state moving to the right direction in terms of development. He was working tirelessly inviting foreign investors to come and invest in Taraba, the God given state that has a lot of natural resources to compete with the rest of the world to showcase Taraba state around the globe. Dr. Agbu Kefas the Executive Governor of the