TheCable

The Anambra state government says it generated N1.3 billion revenue deficit from January to October 2021. 

This is 28 percent below the target of 4.8 billion for this year.

Bonaventure Enemali, commissioner of lands, physical planning and rural development, disclosed this at the ongoing 2021 budget assessment and 2022 budget defence, before the state house of assembly committee on finance and appropriation, in Awka.

According to Enemali, the ministry was given a revenue target of N4.8 billion in the year 2021, and only 28 percent of the target had been achieved.

“The ministry generates revenue for the state via payment of ground rent, tenement rates, land allocation, registration and documentation.

“In 2018, the ministry generated about N500 million, in 2019, N2.5 billion was generated and in 2020, the sum N2.1 billion was generated, in spite of the challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In 2021, we have generated N1.3 billion as at October, which is 28 per cent of the target for this year.”

The low performance, according to the commissioner, was because of the insecurity challenges in the state.

“It affected the financial power of so many residents. Also, the government could not carry out much of enforcement due to the governorship election in the state,” he said. 

Enemali expressed optimism that the revenue would increase by the year 2022 when the geographic information system (GIS) would be fully operational.

“We believe that by 2022, the ministry will do better in terms of revenue. The GIS will go a long way in solving the major problem of double allocation of lands and check fraud, and there will be stability in terms of security,” he said.

Reacting to the presentation, Chidi Udemadu, a member representing Ihiala II Constituency at the state assembly, expressed dissatisfaction over the nine percent budget performance of the ministry and urged the ministry to block leakages to prevent revenue loss in the state.