Ogun Records 131% Improvement in Internally Generated Revenue

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Ogun State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun yesterday disclosed that the sate recorded 131.5 percent improvement in internally generated revenue (IGR) in the 2021 fiscal year, making it the state with the most improved IGR nationwide.

Despite unprecedented records in IGR, Abiodun acknowledged that the last two years had been most challenging for humanity due to COVID-19, expressing optimism that Ogun would witness a new dawn in 2022.

He made this disclosure in a state broadcast yesterday to mark the New Year, restating his commitment to delivering more infrastructure projects in 2022.

He noted that his administration’s methodical approach “to governance and the solid foundation laid for the implementation of our programmes and projects before the advent of the pandemic, are largely responsible for the success recorded in socio-economic development.

“These have boosted our steady economic recovery, leading to an unprecedented achievement in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State. As at November last year we had generated about 84 billion Naira representing about 80 percent of our proportionate budget of our 2021 IGR.

“This placed us as the state with the most improved IGR of 131.5 percent in the federation by half year 2021. We achieved this without overburdening the people of Ogun State with unnecessary taxes and levies and despite COVID-19.”

In the 2022 fiscal year, Abiodun noted that the state would witness completion of projects embarked upon by his administration as well as those left uncompleted by the immediate past administration, particularly, which have direct economic impacts on the people expressing optimism that Ogun would witness a new dawn in 2022.

Abiodun said despite the outbreak of COVID-19, which brought in its wake disruptions and destructions of monumental proportions to the world, his administration was undeterred, but committed to the delivery of its electoral promises and the implementation of the ISEYA Agenda.

According to him, several projects were initiated and completed but could not be commissioned due to the COVID-19 protocols that restricted the size of social gatherings.

Listing his administration’s strides in the state, Abiodun said at least 287 kilometres of newly constructed/reconstructed roads across Ogun had been completed and ongoing, just as over 300 kilometres of reconstructed/rehabilitated township and rural roads are at different stages of completion.

He said: “Our Infrastructure projects are not limited to roads alone. We promised to provide 2,500 housing units in four years. As I speak, we have delivered over 1,000 units spread across the Prince Court Estate, Kemta, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta; Kobape in Obafemi-Owode; King’s Court Estate, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

“Others are at different stages of completion in Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro and Otta . The good news is that we cannot seem to build fast enough as the houses are selling faster than we are building,” he explained.

The governor added that the Ogun State Digital Economy Infrastructure Project (OGDEIP) aimed at delivering about 5,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable across the state had been inaugurated.

He explained that facility “will provide fast, reliable, steady and easily accessible internet connectivity and drive our digital economy. No wonder we have also won awards as the best in Nigeria in this sector as well.

Abiodun said the 2022 budget he signed on December 30 “is a document which is a representation of his government’s collective aspirations for 2022.

“Our priority will be to complete and commission all the ongoing projects that we have either initiated or inherited that have direct economic benefits to the people.”