FIC Report (Ekiti State) – Ekiti State Government has commenced plans to access the sum of N175.75 billion grant from the Natural Resources Development Fund (NRDF) through the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji gave the indication during a meeting with the leadership of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) led by Amb. Desmond Akawor in Ado-Ekiti.
He said the plan was to make Ekiti State the hub for prosperity, opportunity, peace, and progress, and as well, lay the foundation for a prosperous and self-sufficient future for the citizens.
The Governor who was represented at the meeting by his Chief of Staff, Niyi Adebayo, added that the grant would assist in prioritizing the government’s key policies and programmes focused on strategic economic sectors in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as the shared prosperity agenda of his administration.
“Ekiti is a state that is well known not just for education but for its integrity and honour.
As you know, apart from education, the next most important thing is agriculture, historically, because it employs most of our people, where our GDP also derives more than half, as of today, of this component.
“But just as His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also expressed glowingly, we need to diversify the economy, and Ekiti is also working along this line.
“Basically, the entire state is a tourism site because when you drive around and you see the undulating terrain, the hills, and all of that, you actually marvel at what God has really blessed us with. We also have pockets of other land forms. We have caves. We have some of those other locations that we can actually work on. Once this comes in, you will see that the money will be effectively utilized and we shall do more in the area of tourism development”, he stated.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Amb. Desmond Akawor who was the Chairman of the Committee on Fiscal Efficiency and Budget revealed that the Commission received the request from the State Government to access N172.75Billion from the Development and Natural Resources Fund for developmental projects in the state.
He called on the government to invest more in tourism describing it as a gold mine for both the state and national development.
Amb. Akawor reiterated that State project should be expected to engage the ones that were capable of generating revenue for the state in order to boost its economy outside the federal allocation.
He stressed said that 1.68% of the Federal allocation should be dedicated for development of natural resources through RMAFC in charge of mobilization of resources and distribution through a committee called fiscal efficiency and budget.
Signed
Ayeni Omoniyi
CIA&PRO
22/07/2025.
