See Ekiti in 2022 through the prism of the budget

Recently, precisely on October 28, 2021, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, presented a sum of 100.7 billion naira before the Ekiti State Assembly as a budget estimates for fiscal year 2022. The budget presentation, which took place much earlier than in previous years of his administration, was, according to Governor Fayemi, to seek ratification by the assembly after reading and reviewing the proposal.

From the breakdown of the budget proposal, it turns out that it consists of a sum of N60.70 billion for current expenditure and N40.07 billion for capital expenditure. From the inferences, it could easily be discerned that Governor Kayode Fayemi, through the budget, sought to leave a lasting legacy by expanding the scope of achievements in the human and infrastructural capitals of the state. In reality, the 2022 estimate has been dubbed the “Legacy and Consolidation Budget,” which further accentuates the fact that creating a lasting legacy for Ekiti after his tenure expires in the year the next one remains a priority and a primary task for the governor.

One of the factors that makes the budget estimate quite interesting is the fact that it reflects the aspirations of the Ekiti people in terms of infrastructure needs and improved welfare. This is based on the fact that before the proposal was developed, the governor held public meetings with communities in the sixteen local government areas of the state. There, representatives of the more than 150 autonomous towns and villages of Ekiti State presented their requests in documents setting out their respective needs in the order of their preferences.

Some skeptics, however, might disagree that a sum of 100.7 billion naira is too paltry to overthrow the state’s fortunes or serve as a springboard to fulfill that dream. One fact should be emphasized here; coming out of false budget figures has been a plague for the country’s development. The engines of the economy have affectionately favored inaccessible figures to the detriment of reality in terms of achievement. But the Ekiti 2022 budget estimate clearly deviated from this standard, which makes its updating possible and also positions it to benefit from greater acceptability and have a good prognosis.

In 2021, the governor presented a sum of 124.4 billion naira and the downward trends in amounts accruing to Ekiti from the federation’s accounts necessitated the reduction of the new proposal.

Besides the compact nature of the budget proposal, the fact that Ekiti now benefits from a gradual improvement in the level of internally generated income has also increased citizens’ confidence in achieving its goal. In 2018, Governor Fayemi achieved internally generated income that ranged from 400 million naira to 450 million naira. But thanks to some ingenious and careful planning, he has reached the sum of 850 million naira with a target of 1.5 billion naira for next year by widening the tax net that would reduce tax evasion in the state of ‘Ekiti.

The 2022 budget comes at a very critical moment in the history of the state. This is another year of transition, in which there would be an exchange of leadership witnesses. And laying a solid foundation for the coming government is opportune for a smooth take off of the new government. Target critical areas such as reducing growing unemployment in the system, propelling industrial development, increasing IGR, improving security architectures, tackling the scourge of the covid19 pandemic and prosecution Radical roads and other facilities drew wide applause and gave citizens hope that the coming year would be more profitable, comfortable and rewarding.

To propel industrial development, Governor Fayemi estimated that the ongoing cargo airport project would be completed and inaugurated before he finishes his term and leaves his office on October 16 of next year. The fact that the global concept around the aviation industry is to open up a state to better exploration and business opportunities is no gain. And that was the intention behind this noble project. Accessibility in terms of land transport is also crucial in this regard. This is why the new Iyin two-lane road project is essential; the two-car Ado Ekiti – Ifaki project and more than ten other road projects were taken into account in the 2022 proposal.

Realizing that the civil service is the engine room of government, a sum of 36.71 billion naira has been budgeted for the governance sector with the mission of ensuring the prompt payment of salaries, pensions and reimbursement of benefits overdue workers inherited from the previous government. Infrastructure and industrial development is another sub-sector that is estimated to cost N28.06 billion. The knowledge economy must swallow up 19.71 billion naira; social investment takes a share of 14.063 billion naira and agriculture received a sum of 2.201 billion naira.

In recent times, floods and erosion attacks have caused untold damage to some towns and villages in the state, resulting in loss of life and destruction of prosperity. The government has taken steps to nip the sordid scenario in the bud. The aim is to vigorously pursue the projects underway within the framework of the New Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in Irele, Oke Ako and Oye-Ekiti with zeal to tackle the ecological problems suffered by the people.

For all this to happen, the safety of life and property must always be guaranteed. The government and other state actors such as the police, military and various paramilitary agencies must raise the security bar for government policies and programs to be effectively implemented. Ordinary citizens have a huge role to play here by promptly reporting strange occurrences to relevant agencies for swift and proactive action and paying their required taxes into government authorized coffers in accordance with the laws of the land. We all have a duty to protect our state as patriotic citizens.

Dalimore Aluko, retired deputy director of Ikere-Ekiti can be contacted on 08032712451 or 08066181583