The Ondo State Government has charged all its Ministries and Extra Ministerial Departments (MEMDs) to intensify efforts on revenue generation to strengthen the financial base of the state.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan gave the charge at a meeting with all Permanent Secretaries and Heads of MEMDs held at the conference hall of the ministry in Akure, the state capital.
Pastor Igbasan said the meeting was to review the performances of different Ministries and Departments to enhance optimum revenue generation for the state, highlight and proffer solution to challenges militating against them. He noted that it is high time for the state government to reduce its reliance on the federal allocation from Abuja, saying that each of the MEMDs should harness its resources to improve the revenue base of the state so that the government would continue to perform the expected socio-economic responsibilities to the people.
The Commissioner, who called on all government agencies to look inward by harnessing the available opportunities from the informal sectors to boost their revenue, enjoined the people of the state to continue to perform their obligations to the government by paying their tax regularly.
According to him, this would enable the administration of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to provide more dividends of democracy for the people.
In his remarks, Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue, Mr. Tolu Adegbile urged the ministries and departments to closely monitor and block all areas where there are revenue leakages and intensify on areas where they are doing well.
Mr. Adegbile commended some MEMDs for their good performance in revenue generation and charged others that performed below expectation to brace up, adding that it is necessary to review their revenue performances for which he said would also be helpful for the preparation of the 2019 budget.
MEMDs that are represented at the meeting include the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Ministry of Justice, State High Court, Ministry of Natural Resource, Ministry of Agriculture among others.