Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has raised the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N700million to N1.5billion monthly.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan disclosed this on Wednesday during a chat with the delegation of Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists NGIJ.
’’Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has not introduced any new tax law or policies in the state. Our administration just blocked leakages and introduced technology to sanitize revenue collection system. We have increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N700million to N1.5billion monthly.” The commissioner explained.
Igbasan expressed the willingness of current administration to pay the new minimum wage, adding that Governor Akeredolu would continue to prioritise workers’ welfare by paying salary promptly despite the paucity of funds.
The Commissioner however debunked allegations of heavy taxation raised by the Peoples Democratic Party, noting that the APC administration in Ondo state has not introduced any new tax or levy but has been enforcing extant tax laws hitherto ignored.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress expressed has optimism that Governor Akeredolu will implement the N30,000 minimum wage recently signed into law by President Muhammad Buhari.
Comrade Shado Festus Omokehinde, Secretary Ondo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) gave this hint at the congress Secretariat in Akure, the state capital.
According to the NLC scribe, Governor Akeredolu during the 2019 Workers’ Day on May 1 promised to implement new minimum wage, even when the negotiation was still ongoing at the national level.
”The governor is a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He knows the implementation of New Minimum Wage Law. He is a ‘talk and do man’, we believe in him. Governor Akeredolu paid five out six months arrears salary for state workers inherited from the immediate past administration of Olusegun Mimiko. He also cleared five out of seven months outstanding salary areas being owed the workers of the local government and primary school teachers.”
Shado added that the “incumbent governor is paying salary and pensions of workers and retirees as and when due.” He hinted that Ondo State Government has commenced negotiations with Organized Labour to meet December 31 deadline by national body.
The Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists, NGIJ arrived Ondo State on Monday for governance assessment tour of the current leadership in the state.
Secretary of the guild, Rahman Aliagan stated that the guild has administered over 10,000 questionnaires and currently engaging stakeholders in the state to gauge the opinions, yearnings and aspirations of the residents of the state.
The guild is expected to unveil its final findings at a Press Conference after the completion of the exercise.
