By Kassim Omomia
The Mandate Secretary of Economic Planning, Revenue Generation, and Public-Private Partnership (EPRGPPP) Secretariat, Hon. Agboola Lukman Dabiri, has charged all Revenue-generating Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) and other stakeholders in the FCT Administration to redouble their efforts in their revenue-generation drive in order to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile of the Administration.
He also challenged the entire staff of the secretariat to brace up for duty
Dabiri gave the charge at a recentstakeholders’ interactive session on revenue generation, monitoring and tracking exercise held at the conference hall of the Department of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics, FCTA, Abuja, that the meeting was critical in view of the dwindling revenue base of the Administration and the need to provide adequate and qualitative infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) towards accelerated development and economic transformation of the Territory.
In a statement issued by the Head, Public Relations Economic Planning, Revenue Generation &Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Secretariat, Nnachi Okafor, Dabiri was quoted as saying, “Revenue generation is very critical in economic planning and development. Without revenue government cannot provide public infrastructure such as good roads, hospitals, schools and other welfare services for the people”
The Secretary therefore, urged all Heads of revenue-generating SDAs to brace up to the challenge by working in synergy with other stakeholders for effective revenue generation and tracking.
According to him, every SDA to identify all revenue-yielding sources, pursue their revenue targets and block all loopholes and revenue leakages.
He further expressed appreciation to the Management and staff of FCT Inland Revenue Service for setting a revenue target of Two Hundred Billion Naira in 2022, while promising to give maximum support and assistance to the SDAs in order to surpass the revenue generation efforts of the Service,
He urged them to be circumspect and retrospective in their strategic planning not only for optimum revenue generation but also in exploring new revenue sources in the FCT.
“Let’s know what you did in the past and what you want to do now. Ascertain your revenue targets, and plan on the way forward. You need to identify and collect data on all revenue collections and remittances. You need to identify all revenue generating SDAs that have not remitted revenues over the years. You must be transparent and accountable in your activities”.
On the area of capacity building for staff, Hon. Dabiri, emphasized the need for every staff to be properly trained in their various areas of specialization and revenue generation to ensure efficiency and increased productivity. He promised to organise training workshops and retreats for the staff to enable them to prepare and cope with the challenges facing them in their assignments.
Highpoint of the interactive session was the presentation of the First and Second Quarter Report of the Department of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics (EPRS) on Revenue Monitoring and Tracking for 2021 Financial Year.
Presenting the report, the Assistant Director and Head, Economic Planning Division of the Department, Mr. Baba Shuaibu Adukke, explained that the revenue monitoring and tracking exercise was initiated by the former Director, Late Isa Ari, to oversee and coordinate the activities of the various SDAs in the FCT in respect of revenue collection, monitoring, tracking and remittance, which are critical in formulating the revenue frameworks of the FCT Administration
“The monitoring exercise was to measure revenue performance as against revenue target set in every year budget and to ensure that all revenue collected are dully remitted to FCT Treasury. The main objective of this exercise, therefore, was to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the face of dwindling funds from the Federation Account with enormous responsibilities of providing basic infrastructures, which require huge funding” he added
The meeting was attended by heads of revenue and other representatives from the various SDAs of the FCT Administration including Health and Human Services Secretariat, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), FCT Water Board, and Transport Secretariat, among others.
In another development, Hon. Agboola Lukman Dabiri, has called on staff, directors and the entire management team of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics (EPRS), to brace up for duty with due diligence, dedication and total commitment in order to deliver the Honourable Minister’s mandate on the new Secretariat and the FCT Administration.
He made the call during an interactive session with directors and management staff of EPRS, and urged the staff to work conscientiously with renewed vigour and sincerity of purpose through effective planning, teamwork and total dedication to duty in order upscale the revenue base of the FCT Administration.
“We need to work hard as a team, otherwise we create problems. The era of lateness and truancy has gone. We must be conscientious. We must plan effectively. We need to generate revenue for the FCT Administration. I’m ready to take responsibility to ensure everyone succeeds, while you have to reciprocate. We have a lot of work to do. I cannot do it alone. The expectation from me is so high. I cannot afford to disappoint my boss. To whom much is given, much is expected”, the Secretary noted.
Speaking further on his mandate, Hon. Dabiri said the Secretariat is poised for total transformation of the economy of the FCT. To achieve this laudable objective, the Mandate Secretary pledged to “foster active collaboration with critical stakeholders and investors” to boost the internally generated revenue (IGR) profile of the FCT Administration and the economy of the FCT. He explained, “The FCT economy needs transformation. We need to collaborate with investors. We must create a forum to address certain problems. We have to create a digital department. We need to enlighten the people through orientation to create a good atmosphere for business”
Further on the way forward in achieving his mandate, Hon. Dabiri said the Secretariat will adopt more strategic approach not only in revenue mobilization, but also in the area of investment and sustainable business development under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. He also disclosed that the Secretariat would soon develop a strategic action plan to serve as a roadmap towards the attainment of the Secretariat’s vision and mandate.
According to him, part of the initiative is to digitalize the new Secretariat, identify revenue sources, and ensure effective communication and information management strategy, as well as team-work and confidence building.
He promised to develop a comprehensive and functional interactive website and a compact office operation system (all staff under one roof) with quarterly performance evaluation strategy.
Matching words with action, the Secretary created an official email address and group WhatsApp platform for effective interactions and seamless information flow among all levels of staff as well as the Secretary.
He urged the staff to make meaningful contributions – ideas, proposals, and suggestions – on the way forward in line with the vision and mission of the Secretariat, using Lagos State as a template and other global best practices.
Earlier in her speech, the Acting Director, Department of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Nancy S. Nathan, while introducing the Directors and members of the management team, outlined the various divisions/ units of the former department and their functions. She also explained the activities, programmes, achievements and challenges of the defunct department, as well as management’s aspirations and proposals prior to the creation of the new Mandate Secretariat. She said, “We do financial tracking. We’ve been working on our strategic plan”.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, last week, approved the appointment of seven (7) Mandate Secretaries, Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), heads of agencies and personal aides, through the recommendation of the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello.
The appointments are in pursuance of the Minister’s determination to reposition the FCT Administration into a more robust and service- oriented administrative structure for the total transformation of the FCT
One of the new Mandate Secretariats is Economic Planning, Revenue Generation, and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Secretariat. Carved out of the former Department of Economic Planning, Research & Statistics (EPRS), the new Secretariat is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the effective planning and transformation of the economy of the FCT through effective revenue generation and public-private partnership model.