In a bid to boost investment and ensure the safety of all residents, the Ekiti State government is to spend a huge sum of ₦1.4 billion on the State Security Network codenamed ‘Amotekun Corps’ in 2021 fiscal year.
In the same year, government earmarked a total of N8 billion to social services, covering education, health, gender empowerment, social security and other pivotal sub-sectors critical to the growth of the state’s economy.
The Commissioner for Budget, Mr. Femi Ajayi, said this in Ado Ekiti yesterday during the breakdown of the 2021 appropriation law with a budgetary provision of ₦109.666 billion.
Governor Kayode Fayemi had on December 23, 2020 assented to the budgetary provision christened ‘Budget of Recovery and Economic Restoration”, comprising ₦58. 4 billion recurrent and₦N51.6 billion capital expenditures.’
To fund the budget, Ajayi said a total of ₦29.6 billion is expected from the federation account,₦N8.4 billion as Internally Generated revenue, ₦4.5 billion from tertiary institutions and other sundry sources.
The Commissioner stated that the budget was tailored towards resetting the economy to rise to COVID-19 challenge and open a new vista in the fight against poverty, engendering of industrial growth and agribusiness.
He said: ‘Following the incessant security challenges which include kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes, robberies in the country, to ensure the security of lives and properties, Governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurated the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund coined ‘Amotekun in collaboration with other South-Western States on 19th October, 2020.’
‘A sum of ₦1,444 billion has been earmarked as capital allocation for Amotekun Corps. For procurement of Drones for surveillance, a sum of ₦550million has been earmarked while a total of 320 million will be spent on safety city project and the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund will gulp a sum of ₦55 million’.
He said the sum of ₦2.4 billion had been budgeted to start off the Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology while a total of ₦677 million was earmarked for the school of Commercial Agriculture, Isan Ekiti.
‘Because of our preference for human capital development and equality of all genders, the state has proposed to hold a Gender Summit and a sum of ₦35 million had been budgeted to realise this ,while a sum of ₦20 million will be spent on construction of family court to attend to family issues timeously’.
On urban renewal development , Ajayi said ₦250 million is to be expended on the Master Plan of Ado Ekiti and Satellite Towns while the sum of ₦4.5 million will be spent on ecological programme called NEWMAP.
The commissioner said the present administration will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the full implementation of the 2021 Budget.
‘This is in fulfilment of the path signed with the good people of the State. This can only be feasible when we as good citizens perform our civic responsibilities in ensuring payment of taxes and other levies to improve the revenue accruable to the Government’.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK