Edited by Peter Legacy
The Delta State commissioner for Economic Planning, Hon Sonny Akporokiamo Ekedayen has emphasized the Delta state government’s position on budget discipline and effective execution of government projects.
In an exclusive interaction with NOL24 Television (NOL24 TV), on the program Political Roadmap in Asaba, Delta State, Hon Ekedayen disclosed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that projects executed in the state are of top standards.
Exclusive excerpt below:
(NOL24 TV): MUCH IS PACKED INTO THE PANDORA BOX: WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT OF DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE ECONOMY AND DISCIPLINE OF BUDGETS ?
(Hon Ekedayen) Well, you just took that out of my mouth. You can see ab initio, the theme of our budget is fiscal discipline, hope and optimism. First, we decided to run a budget that is fully home grown, organic, no external borrowing. We want to be able to manage with what we can generate ourselves.
This was enabled mainly by the fact that there is removal of oil subsidy, and more money made available to the states from allocations. We equally charged our internal revenue services to up their games and ensure that more revenue is generated internally, which they have already started doing, by the way.
The combination of this two have put us in a better place to pay our bills and manage our expenses well enough, so to avoid any major external borrowing. That for now is the strategy. We want to direct our revenues organically.
The second, we are also looking at diversifying our economy. This has several, may be a few portals, let’s use that word now. First agriculture, as food security and also as means of income for our people. That is a strategy we are trying to develop for our people, we are trying to develop the entire palm oil value chain.
A lot of work has been done by the ministry of Agriculture in that space and also resources channeled. These are like initial stages, you wouldn’t see anything now. In the next couple of years when these things begin to crystalize you begin to feel the impact of these government initiatives and programs. You know palm is an industrial raw materials as well as exportable commodity. So, either we sell locally or export, some money will come in.
Two, we are also looking at doing something in the rice space. Rice is a staple, we eat rice. I mean from the strategic point of view of food security, we are looking at growing some portion of our rice requirement within the state.
Thankfully most parts of the state are rice earable and rice can be grown. We also before long, will be commissioning a major rice processing facility within the state, that will now help to stimulate these value chains. People will now have another good reason to grow rice within the state, because there will be a ready off taker to take off whatever they are bringing.
The third one is carbon credit. Carbon credit is something we have been hearing but no one is taking seriously. We are looking into that space seriously, we have identified a competent and capable consultant. We are engaging with him at the right time we will formally unveil and they will help us in developing and preserving, and they will also help to market our attributable carbon credits, that will be a major source of income. So given another twelve or eighteen months time, once these things begins to come to fruition, you will see how the state will be
operating on a multi income levels streams kind of position. The state will be able to generate enough to be able to meet the increasing demand for infrastructural developments within the state as well as the human capital development needs by way of schools, education and also agro and improved agricultural practices along the value chain needs.
So, there is a lot cooking in the pot now, we are just taking it one day at a time and hopefully these things will manifest for the good and happiness of the people of the state.
One thing I can assure the people here is that the governor has a good heart and means well for the people of the state. He is going to be a leader for all Deltans. He is frugal, when I mean he is very frugal, he doesn’t spend money recklessly, he must make sure, there is justification for anything before he puts money down. That is one thing people will begin to see and appreciate him more.
(NOL24 TV) IT IS SAID THAT WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE; WHAT POLICIES ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT BEYOND THE RHETORICS, THINGS ARE DONE AND AS EXPECTED ?
( Hon Ekedayen) The quality of whatever projects that the state will be implementing now is going to be of top standard. Because, if we are paying so much, I mean it will be only fair we get values for our money. This government and this governor is a no nonsense person. He has said it openly, he said it everywhere, he says it everytime he has opportunity that there is no room for shoddy jobs.
We must get value for every kobo that we spend. And as a ministry we are also supporting the governor in that direction; we have rolled out a dedicated line to all Deltans, it is being carried everyday, the top right corner of the pointer. You don’t have to confront any contractor in your area you think that is doing shoddy job.
All you need to do is take a picture, send a small text message to this number- EcoPlan 090-1186-2842. and we can assure you will get a response, we will investigate and give you a feedback. That is the way we can help the government to succeed. We need people to also show interest in government projects in their area.
We cannot be everywhere at the same time, but once people are responsible enough to be able to give those feedback, everybody is out on their toes. The contractor will know they have to do the right things because they don’t know who is watching. Before you know it , we will be helping our state collectively to get better.
“ECONOMIC PLANNING dedicated line: 090-1186-2842. Is a dedicated line of the ministry of economic planning of Delta state and we are encouraging members of the public to report shoddy and substandard jobs within their communities by taking pictures and sending text messages to that number. I can assure you, somebody will visit, somebody will be made to account.” ~ Hon Sonny Ekendayen (Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning).