Akwa Ibom government says it is eyeing improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in next year’s budget to avoid over-dependence on the federation allocation
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong who disclosed this while briefing journalists said the state executive has received the 2021 budget estimates.
He explained that the budget aligns completely with the complete agenda of the administration with emphasises on human capital development, quality healthcare, aviation, and rural community development as well as industrialisation drive.
”Today in Exco meeting presided over by Governor Udom Emmanuel with Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra Ministerial Departments in attendance, we considered the budget estimate as presented by the Commissioner for Finance, Linus Nkan and the policy thrust of that budget has to do with improving on the internally generated revenue so that we can reduce over-dependence on the federal allocation”.
Ememobong expressed optimism that the budget, when passed by the State House of Assembly, will address human capacity development, aviation, and rural development as encapsulated in the completion agenda.
“The budget also aligned completely with the completion agenda where issues on education under human capacity development, aviation development rural community development and all sectors of the completion agenda took precedence”, he stated.
Frank Archibong, commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs added that the Council deliberated on the amendment of the laws establishing the state College of Education to enhance excellence and productivity in the institution as well as assess reports on school resumption and status updates on the Covid -19 pandemic.
He disclosed that the Executive Council also received updates on the investments from the State Investment Corporation and also approved the taking over of Community Secondary Commercial School, Oduk, Ikono Local Government Area, explaining that the take over is premised on government decision to relieve communities of the burden of running schools and for the overall benefit of the students.
According to sources, the IGR of the state averages N1billion monthly.
Meanwhile, the state government has been lauded by the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC ) over the lower number of road crashes recorded in the state.
Akwa Ibom State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corp Commandant O. S. Ochi stated this during an advocacy visit by the command on the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong.
The commendation according to Ememobong was a result of the deliberate investments made by the state government in the provision of quality road networks which he noted has greatly influenced safer driving culture amongst motorists and other road users in the state.
He explained that road construction and expansions remains one of the ways the state Akwa Ibom State Government was adopting in linking the hinterlands as well as to also boost economic participation between the citizens of the state and those from the neighboring states.
He further assured that the Udom Emmanuel’s administration would continue to pay premium attention to the development of road infrastructure in the state for the overall benefit of the
