Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti has tasked the state’s Internal Revenue Service to brace up its revenue generation drive through the involvement of more people into its operations, to move the state forward.
Oyebanji stated this in Ado-Ekiti during the Treasury Board Meeting organised by the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in preparation for the 2023 budget.
The Governor said government would need more money to drive its agenda aimed at bringing succour to the people of the state.
He charged all revenue generating agencies to look inward and ensure that more money came to the coffers of the state, saying that the budget was crafted in a manner that would speak to the state development plan.
The governor pledged his support for the Board of Internal Revenue Service to enable it to perform effectively.
He called on them to harness windows of opportunities open to the state to improve revenue generation.
Oyebanji urged public servants to be transparent and as much as possible cooperate with the Board of Internal Revenue Service to use technology in driving revenue generation in the state.
The Governor, while expressing his commitment to improved welfare of workers, also threatened to be hard on any Mimistry, Department and Agencies that refused to use the technology platform to drive revenue generation.
He said his administration would continue to try its best to ensure that workers were treated with decency, urging them to brace up and work hard to achieve the lofty agenda of the administration.
“We are not going to put pain on our people but there are lots of opportunities that you can harness to increase the IGR.
“I need your cooperation, I need your help. I can only do what I promised you if I have money. I can be well-intentioned but when I don’t have resources what can I do.
“I’m committed to improved welfare for workers, I’m sure you got your salaries and I must commend the Accountant General’s office for ensuring that happened,” he said.
The governor said further that his administration would not subscribe to increase in subvention to tertiary institutions until all stakeholders held a conference to chart a way forward.
“Subvention will not increase until all stakeholders sit down and agree on the way forward, once we do that, government will do its own bit, management will do its own as well as students and union; until we get to that junction, no increase.
“The truth of the matter is that at a point, subvention will stop, I’m not saying it is going to stop now but we must prepare our minds that a time will come that state will not be able to give subvention to institutions.
“Management should start preparing for that, it is a hard fact. What we are paying now we will continue to pay until we agree on a roadmap to ensure that we have world class institutions,” he said.
