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Ekiti earmarks N1.4b for Amotekun, N8b for social services

By Ayodele Afolabi, Ado Ekiti
18 January 2021   |   3:12 am
Ekiti State Government is to spend N1.4 billion on Amotekun Corps in 2021, to boost investment and ensure the safety of all residents.

Amotekun

Ekiti State Government is to spend N1.4 billion on Amotekun Corps in 2021, to boost investment and ensure safety of all residents.

The Commissioner for Budget, Mr. Femi Ajayi, stated this in Ado Ekiti at the weekend, during the breakdown of the N109.666 billion budget for 2021.

Governor Kayode Fayemi had, on December 23, 2020, assented to the ‘Budget of Recovery and Economic Restoration’ comprising N58.4 billion for recurrent expenditure and N51.6 billion for capital projects.

Also, the government said it earmarked N8 billion for social services, covering education, health, empowerment, social security, and other pivotal sub-sectors critical to the growth of the state’s economy.

To fund the budget, Ajayi said N29.6 billion would come from the federation account, N8.4 billion from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), N4.5 billion from tertiary institutions and other sundry sources.

The commissioner added that the budget was tailored towards resetting the economy to rise to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) challenge and open a new vista in the fight against poverty, engendering industrial growth, and agribusiness.

He said: “Following the incessant security challenges, including kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes and robbery in the country, to ensure the security of life and property, Governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurated the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund coined Amotekun in collaboration with other southwest states on October 19, 2020.

“The sum of N1.444 billion has been earmarked as capital allocation for Amotekun Corps. For the procurement of surveillance drones, N550 million has been earmarked, while N320 million will be spent on the safe city project. The Ekiti State Security Trust Fund will gulp N55 million.”

He disclosed that N2.4 billion had been budgeted to start off the Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology, while N677 million was earmarked for the school of commercial agriculture in 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 N35 million had been budgeted to realise this, while N20 million will be spent on construction of family court to attend to family issues timeously.”

On urban renewal development, Ajayi said that N250 million was to be expended on the Master Plan of Ado Ekiti and Satellite Towns, while N4.5 million would be spent on the ecological programme called Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

The commissioner said the present administration would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the full implementation of the 2021 Budget.

“This is in fulfillment of the pact 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.”

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