Oyebanji Advocates Collaborative Revenue Mobilization Drive Across MDAs, LGAs… Cautions Against Reckless Spending

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has restated importance of collaboration in revenue generation to foster sustainable development in the state, stressing that achieving economic growth requires active participation of MDAs, Local Government Councils, and residents.

The Governor also charged public servants in the state to demonstrate greater fiscal responsibility and prudence in their financial dealings to ensure efficient management of public resources thereby fostering sustainable development.

Governor Oyebanji stated these on Thursday during the State Internal Revenue Service/MDAs Collaborative and Performance Review Meeting, held at the Lady Jibowu Hall, Government House, Ado Ekiti.

He expressed dismay over frequent requests by MDAs for frivolous spending, which he described as wasteful and counterproductive. He tasked public servants to ensure that the State’s resources are harnessed efficiently and used effectively to uplift the lives of the people.

While commending the State Internal Revenue Service for the significant improvement in revenue collection across various sectors in the state, the Governor charged all MDAs to play active roles in promoting tax compliance and ensuring that revenue policies are well-implemented.

He also urged them to work hand in hand with government to eliminate barriers and block all revenue leakages that can hinder progress.

“One of the key factors for driving effective revenue generation is collaboration. Revenue mobilization is not the sole responsibility of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service; it is a collective responsibility shared by all MDAs, Local Government Councils and, by extension, the citizens of Ekiti State. As public servants, we are tasked with ensuring that our State’s resources are harnessed efficiently and used effectively to uplift the lives of our people.

“I encourage all MDAs here today to take an active role in promoting tax compliance and ensuring that our revenue policies are well-implemented. We must work hand in hand to eliminate the barriers and block all revenue leakages that can hinder our progress.

“My appeal to all of us is to exercise fiscal caution, I still see request from MDAs forwarded to me by the Commissioners, request of suspicious workshops, seminars, conference, and other questionable expenditure just to take money from the system and I feel so bad”, the Governor said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of EKIRS, Mr Niran Olatona thanked the Governor for his support and dedication to fostering an enabling environment which, according to him, has been instrumental in driving the agency’s success.

He said the Governor’s visionary leadership and strategic interventions have strengthened the agency’s capacity to achieve its revenue generation goals.

Olatona further explained that the remarkable progress recorded by the agency in recent months was the result of robust collaboration with MDAs.

He charged the MDAs to further strengthen their collaboration with the revenue agency and remain proactive in identifying new revenue opportunities, addressing leakages, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations to achieve even greater revenue generation.

Also speaking, the Head of Service, who commended the Governor for prioritizing transparency and accountability in the utilization of the state’s resources, noted that the Governor’s approach to financial management has set a new standard for good governance and demonstrated his dedication to the well-being of the people of the state.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of motorbikes and photocopy machines to the most outstanding MDAs in recognition of their exceptional performance in revenue generations and to encourage them to double their efforts.