- Says govt has not taken any loan to finance projects
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his special interest in Ekiti State by freeing more resources for the state to carry out laudable, people-oriented, and legacy projects in the last three years of his administration.
Governor Oyebanji, who stated this on Wednesday during the official commissioning of the ultra-modern Ekiti Revenue House in Ado-Ekiti, disclosed that his administration has been commissioning a wide range of projects, including roads, electricity, hospitals, and water facilities, to commemorate his third anniversary in office.
The Governor, who also disclosed that his government has not taken any loan to finance the various projects embarked upon in the last three years, said his administration is committed to sustaining the state’s development goals, stressing that the IRS plays a pivotal role in propelling the state’s economic growth and contributing massively to the well-being of its citizens.
He lauded President Tinubu for appointing Dr. Zacch Adedeji as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), describing the appointment as a round peg in a round hole, as it speaks to the President’s commitment to merit and excellence.
“I can stand here to boast and beat my chest that every project we have done in Ekiti State up to now, we have not taken a loan to do any one of them. And that speaks to the fact that we have a President who is transparent and allows the resources to be shared the way they should be shared. One thing is for you to have the money at the center; another thing is for the center to give it to you. But for once, in our history, Mr. President has given us more than our fair share of the federation allocation.
“Once again, I thank Mr. President for his support. He is the one who should take the glory after God for whatever achievement we have recorded in Ekiti State as a government. I would not have been able to do anything on my own without the support of the President. And on this note, I plead with all of us in Ekiti State to continue to pray for Mr. President. He needs our prayers and our encouragement. For the first time in the history of this country, we have a President who is prepared.
“And I also plead with you that, by the grace of God, Mr. President will run for a second term. All those reforms that Mr. President instituted, which some people are criticizing him for, are what we are gaining from here. It is the gains that we are using to implement most of these projects. Mr. President has been good to us, and I have no doubt in my mind that when the time comes for you to say thank you, you will do that through your vote,” the Governor stated.
Governor Oyebanji used the opportunity to assure the Joint Tax Board (JTB) that his government will embark on the process of passing a law to unify the state’s tax administration through necessary legislation because of his belief in and support for the national tax law signed by Mr. President to harmonize all taxes, which will free more resources for the sub-nationals.
While commissioning the project, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, commended Governor Oyebanji for bequeathing the edifice for revenue generation in the state, as well as for the various landmark infrastructure projects he has embarked upon, describing him as a competent hand to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Ekiti.
Dr. Adedeji further stated that there is no better advertisement for the payment of taxes than letting the people see what government is spending their money on, adding that innovation and fiscal discipline can achieve a lot if the right people, like Governor Oyebanji, are at the helm of affairs.
In his welcome remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Olaniran Olatona, expressed appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for according the service the necessary support to make headway among other states of the federation.
Mr. Olatona, who noted that the edifice was not about self-aggrandizement but was born out of the need to overcome the operational limitations of the present location, which hindered vital collaborations and data mining essential for modern revenue administration, added that the revenue trajectory of the state has been transformative, with an average monthly internally generated revenue rising significantly, such that Ekiti came first in IGR growth rate published by the JTB and the National Bureau of Statistics last year.
He affirmed that collective efforts have moved the state from the 35th position to one of the first 16 states in the country, adding that the new data-driven and digitally enabled framework will ensure greater efficiency, transparency, and collaboration, as well as an accountability framework that will give low-income earners a breathing space in tax administration.
Also at the event were the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; members of the State House of Assembly; members of the State Executive Council; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro; Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi; Chief of Staff, Mr. Niyi Adebayo; traditional rulers led by the Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council and the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado; and other top government officials, among others.
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