Targeting Tax Dodgers

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime

Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime present a N67.9 billion Apprropriation Bill for 2010 fiscal year aimed at boosting internally generated revenue
By Anene Ugoani, Enugu
Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Iheanacho Chime, has presented a draft budget of N67.9 billion to the State House of Assembly for the 2010 fiscal year, just as he gave hints that his administration would embark on an aggressive revenue drive in the New Year to net in an estimated N6.62billion from internal sources. The state, he stated, would need the money to augment its share from federal revenue, estimated at N30billion.
In his review of the N60.5billion 2009 budget, before announcing the appropriations for 2010 at the House on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, Governor Chime pointed out that the global economic meltdown, posed some difficult moments as “funds available to us could not match our aspirations, but with the support of God and our people, we were able to achieve most of goals”. He thanked the House for its speedy consideration and passage of the 2009 budget, noting that the singular act provided the government the ample opportunity it needed to faithfully implement its policies and programmes for the ultimate benefit of the Enugu people.  
“The philosophy of the 2009 budget, rested heavily on consolidating the gains of the preceding year, while equally sustaining the tempo of our development initiatives. The 2010 budget derives strength and spirit from our past experiences, but essentially aims at further prospering our state and empowering our people”, Chime said.
Outlining the 2010 draft budget, which he said was christened: “Budget of Strategic Adjustment”, he explained that the lean times demanded that his government should come to terms with the prevailing economic realities. His about 40 minutes session with the House, was attended by state legislators, commissioners, top government functionaries, traditional rulers and scores of contractors handling government projects. It was his third budget presentation since he assumed office 31 months ago.
Governor Chime told the House that of the total budget size of N67.9billion, which he said was 12per cent higher that the N60.5billion budgeted in 2009, N30.1bllion, representing 44percent of the budget size, had been earmarked for recurrent expenditure and N37.77billion or 56 per cent of the budget, was set aside for capital expenditure. Explaining the disparity between the two, he said: “The capital expenditure is higher than the recurrent this time in tune with our determination to ensure that government completes virtually all the capital projects it began”.
According to him, out of the N30.1billion recurrent expenditure, N20.3billion, representing 68 per cent of the sum, would be set aside for personnel costs, including Consolidated Revenue Fund charges. He said the state government was expecting to garner N36.6billion as recurrent revenue.
Governor Chime: “Government intends to realise this through aggressive internally-generated revenue, which is estimated at N6.62billion and our share of Federal Revenue put at N30billon, representing 81.93 per cent”.
In the proposed budget, Works and Infrastructure got a lion’s share of N12.65 billion, representing 33.5 per cent of the entire capital expenditure, which the governor said was in the bid to consolidate on achievements recorded in road redevelopment and rehabilitation as well as completing all on-going urban and rural road projects. He said new projects would only be commenced as the needs and funds permit.
Much attention, he stated, had been paid to roads with a view to providing accessibility and mobility in both the urban and rural areas to enhance the rapid socio-economic transformation of the state. He announced the votes for other sectors as: Agriculture (N992million), Rural Electrification (N5.23billon), Education (N3.63billion), Health (N2.366 billion), and Water Supply (N2.7 billion). Governor Chime also promised the lawmakers that the rehabilitation of the chambers and the entire House of Assembly complex would commence before the end of this year, saying that the sum of N446million has been set aside for the a House in the 2010 fiscal year, while that the sum of N422.5 million would be given to the judiciary arm for its projects in the 2010 fiscal year.
Responding to the budget speech, the Speaker of the House, Eugene Odo, noted that the executive arm and others who were involved in the implementation of the 2009 budget, did a good job. He said the House associated itself with the policy thrust of the 2010 budget proposal. The Speaker called on the people of Enugu state to support the Chime administration by paying their taxes, which would also help the government execute its programmes, observing that “level of tax evasion in the state is quite alarming”.