David Olofu is the Benue State Commissioner for Finance. In this interview with Aviashima Toom in Makurdi, he spoke on how the state intends to unlock all the potentials of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, Federal Government and other development partners to address the infrastructural and human deficit in the state. He also spoke on the inability of government to pay arrears of civil servants, pensioners and several other nagging economic issues.
You were finance commissioner during Governor Samuel Ortom’s first term and have been re-appointed to serve in the same capacity. How would you ensure that the issue of salary arrears is tackled?
Well, I thank God for the opportunity and also the governor for finding me worthy to serve the state again. Now on how to ensure that the salary arrears that has been topmost on our mind is tackled, you will recall or know that one of the greatest challenges we have in this state is the issue of funding. And so, it is my desire right now to make sure that the state devises all the funding opportunity available, any where the funds may be so as to address it. So, I will set out immediately without wasting time to see how we can unlock all the potentials of our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and also unlock the potential we have with the Federal Government and other development partners to see how we can bring down enough funds for development of our dear state.
There is a lot of infrastructural deficit in Benue. There is a lot of gap in terms of human capacity development. And there is also a lot of gap in terms of other services like health and education for our people.
Like you know these things require money. So, wherever the funds may be, we will make sure we harness them so as to perform our statutory obligation.
READ ALSO:Buhari felicitates with Anthony Adefuye at 75
When you talk about funding, would that also translate to the ministries, having enough overhead to address the issue of their statutory responsibility because ministries have had that problem over time?
Yes, of course. Because going by my estimate of the last budget, we need about N15 billion to N16 billion monthly so as to be able to meet what has been approve in our budget provision. But as we speak, what we get right now is just about 15 to 30 per cent of that amount. So, there is a wide gap between what our budget provision is and what we are getting in actual term. Going forward, what we will like to see happen is a situation where we can close that gap, because if we are able to close the gap, we can now provide for other things within the provision of the budget. But right now, what we are essentially doing is to meet the basic provisions in the budget, which is personnel cost. That leaves you with nothing but little to take care of other things, including pension (that) you are talking about. So, we will employ all means of solving these situations.
What else is the state doing to boost its IGR to augment what comes from the federation account and how far has the state gone in its quest to block all linkages with a lot of things going down the drain?
On the issue of IGR, I’m sure you may have interface with the Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service, BIRS. As a very active and also creative person, there is the need for awareness to enable us collect the required taxes and revenue for government. In order to block some of the leakages, we made sure that all government revenues are paid into a consolidated account. Though there is no human system that is perfect but we will continue do our best because there is no end to quality service delivery. So that means that there is always room for improvement.
On the issue of salaries arrears, I must say it was extremely difficult probably because of the recession and the general situation in the country.
You are aware that the Benue State House of Assembly signed the PENCOM scheme into law and I believe in the scheme and confident that the scheme will be able to address challenges facing the payment of pension in the state. Going forward is to see how we would put forward a traditional framework in place to take care of those that will not be captured in the scheme.
READ ALSO:Actress Juliet Ibrahim’s ex-boyfriend, Olowookere, apologises after failed relationship
So, personally, I believe that is the way it should go. We are not on an island. We need to move with strength; we need to move with the best practice accepted all over the world. So that is the way to go and that will also take care of the problem.
If you recall, the governor said during his inaugural speech that he was going to right the wrong of his first term in office. The first wrong, if I guess is that of salary arrears. Do you think these will be addressed?
I want to disagree with you. The fact that we cannot be able to pay salary does not make it a wrong. The consequences are as a result of a lot of variables that was out of control to the Ortom government as a state like I earlier mentioned. You talk about drop in oil price; you talk about recession in the economy which is not in the purview of the government. You should know that since January last year, we are prompt on the payment of workers’ salaries. So, I don’t want to consider that as a yardstick. Service delivery is like a two-way traffic. There is the demand and the supply aspect.
The demand side is the public and the people, while the supply side is those of us on the side of the government making sure we provide quality service delivery.
Some are of the view that the government is not thinking out of the box but rely on federal allocation. What are the benefits of the overseas trips of the governor and government functionaries to woo investors?
Well, that perception is completely wrong. The fact is that investment is a process. When you are wooing investors, they first and foremost come and see that what you are marketing to them is worth their money.
They will make explorative visits to ensure that what you presented to them is as it is. Then they will go back and put up a feasibility report that will back up what they have seen.
And of course, we are a state in the federation. For instance, for a first time investor, there are certain conditions that would have to be met both at the federal level before you can even talk of coming down to the state to begin to process whatever sector you want to engage in. That is under the control of the Federal Government. I’m not saying that the federal government is hindering the process in anyway, but what I want to say actually is that it’s a process and depending on the sector you want to invest in, it may take up to six months to one year and sometimes even up to two or more years. There is a huge investment that would see the investor committing well over N37 billion in the state. For us that is one way of keying into the export project of the federal government because it’s easier for us to.
Will the ongoing case at the governorship tribunal not going to affect the resources of the state considering what is involved?
Not at all. The ongoing case at the governorship election tribunal is a personal matter of the governor and will not affect the resources of the state. The resources belong to the people of Benue State, so the ongoing case has no effect on the state resources.
