The Ogun State Government through its Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS) says it will widen the revenue base of the State by improving the tax revenue by 31.3% in the next fiscal year using year 2017 as base year.
To this end, the Chairman, OGIRS, Mr Adekunle Adeosun said the agency was committed to best tax practices through the creation of a tax friendly environment to achieve  its revenue target of N84.631B for the State in the next fiscal year.
Adeosun while defending the 2018 Budget estimate noted that the agency surpassed the revenue of the year 2017 as it raked in N41.88bn as against N41B approved as its receipt in the 2017 Appropriation Act, adding that the capital expenditure of the agency would gulp N850m while N3.5B was meant for recurrent expenditure.
Taking his turn to defend the 2018 budget estimates of the Office of the State Accountant General , Mr Mukaila Dosunmu said his office would evolve more strategies towards formulating financial policies and regulations towards the achievement of the objectives of the State Government in promoting transparency and accountability in public finances. This according to the State Accountant General, would facilitate government revenue fiscal objectives for sound management of the State treasury; hence, a total budget of N30m, out of which N15m each was earmarked for recurrent expenses and capital projects.
Also, the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry of Regional Integration, Bashorun Adebola Adeife assured that the State would be a credible and active partner in the pursuance of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) so as to ensure sustainable framework on sectors such as education, agriculture, infrastructure, sport, security, law and order and public service capacity building
Adeife, who added that the Ministry would put in place mechanisms to ensure a highly diversified and innovation based economy in the State, proposed a total budget of N645m, out of which capital projects would take N540m, while N105m would go for recurent expenditure.
Also, the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Taiwo Adeoluwa presented the 2018 budgetary estimates of the agencies under the Office of the Governor and Chief of Staff.
Packaged by Hazeez Ayansola
