In a bid to boost investment and ensure the safety of all residents, the Ekiti State government is to spend a huge sum of N1.4 billion on the State Security Network codenamed ‘Amotekun Corps’ in the 2021 fiscal year.

In the same year, the government earmarked a total of N8 billion to social services, covering education, health, gender empowerment, social security, and other pivotal sub-sectors critical to the growth of the state’s economy.

The Commissioner for Budget, Mr. Femi Ajayi, said this in Ado Ekiti yesterday during the breakdown of the 2021 appropriation law with a budgetary provision of N109.666 billion.

Governor Kayode Fayemi had on December 23, 2020, assented to the budgetary provision christened “Budget of Recovery and Economic Restoration”, comprising N58. 4 billion recurrent and N51.6 billion capital expenditures.

To fund the budget, Ajayi said a total of N29.6 billion is expected from the federation account, N8.4 billion as Internally Generated Revenue, N4.5 billion from tertiary institutions and other sundry sources.

The Commissioner stated that the budget was tailored towards resetting the economy to rise to the COVID-19 challenge and open a new vista in the fight against poverty, engendering of industrial growth, and agribusiness.

He said: “Following the incessant security challenges which include kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes, robberies in the country, to ensure the security of lives and properties, Governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurated the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund coined “Amotekun in collaboration with the other South-Western States on 19th October 2020.

“A sum of N1,444 billion has been earmarked as capital allocation for Amotekun Corps. For the procurement of Drones for surveillance, a sum of N550million has been earmarked while a total of 320 million will be spent on safety city projects and the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund will gulp a sum of N55 million”.

He said the sum of N2.4 billion had been budgeted to start off the Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology while a total of N677 million was earmarked for the school of Commercial Agriculture, Isan Ekiti.

“Because of our preference for human capital development and equality of all genders, the state has proposed to hold a Gender Summit and a sum of N35 million had been budgeted to realize this, while a sum of N20 million will be spent on construction of family court to attend to family issues timeously”.

On urban renewal development, Ajayi said N250 million is to be expended on the Master Plan of Ado Ekiti and Satellite Towns while the sum of N4.5 million will be spent on an ecological program called NEWMAP.

The commissioner said the present administration will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the full implementation of the 2021 Budget.

“This is in fulfillment of the path signed with the good people of the State. This can only be feasible when we as good citizens perform our civic responsibilities in ensuring payment of taxes and other levies to improve the revenue accruable to the Government”.