Enugu State Government and the National Defence College have announced an agreement aimed adopting strategies to boost the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and diversify its income base to address the present economic challenges in the country.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who noted that despite obvious difficulties occasioned by the economic challenges, said the state government has continued to keep faith with the aspirations of the people by making steady progress in economic development.
The governor represented by his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo disclosed this in an address when participants of National Defence College, Course 24, paid a Geo Strategic Study tour of Enugu State at the Government House, Enugu.
He noted that the theme of the tour which is “Internally Generated Revenue as Catalyst for Development: challenges and prospects in Enugu State” was aptly chosen as it reflects the state’s efforts to restructure and revitalize the state’s economy.
“The theme of the tour could not have been more aptly chosen as it reflects our current efforts to the challenges occasioned by the current downturn in the national economy.
The governor assured that in the course of the tour of the participants that they would be briefed in greater details on the modest efforts made by the state as well as on the other peculiar challenges facing the state with a view to promoting collaboration for intervention.
Earlier in an address the leader of the group Air Vice marshal, Animonye Benjamin Chikbuike Nweze, informed the governor that the team was in Enugu for a geo-strategic tour of the state in areas of revenue generation as a panacea for the current economic downturn in the country to boost the state’s economy, recalling the incidences of non-payment of salaries by many states because of paucity of fund.
He noted that the college interfaces with various arms of governments on the issue of governance. In his words, “we are aware that many states did not pay salaries because of dwindling economy,” adding that the participants embarked on strategic tours to study ways and means to enhance revenue generation of states in the country to boost the economy.
He assured that after the tour of the state that the participants would come up with the best ways of revenue generation. He said that the group would have interaction session with stakeholders including members of the state executive council.
He disclosed that participants of the course which will take one year duration are made up of top officers of the Nigerian Army, Airforce, Navy and the Road Safety Corps among others.
