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Tasks before the governors-elect

THE governors-elect have got a lot to do as they step into their various government houses either for their first or second term.  The challenges many of the states have are so enormous that they need to be addressed urgently.  Here are some of the pressing issues the incoming governors must face squarely…

STATES MUST IMPROVE ON THEIR INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE

One of the major tasks before the governors-elect is to shore up their Internally Generated Revenues (IGR).  The trend where the states largely depend on federal allocations does not augur well for them.  The best in this circumstance is for the governors to identify areas they can generate funds to increase their revenue.

Lagos State stands tall in this respect with a projected IGR of about N20 billion per month, which represents almost 50 per cent of its annual budget of over N400 billion!

PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF FINANCES IS KEY

There are so much wastes and corruption in the states.  And this has to be checked.  The governors-elect must be able to manage their resources, especially now that revenue has drastically dwindled due to the sharp drop in oil prices across the globe.

The governors, thus, need to be good managers of resources, even as they demonstrate high sense of accountability and transparency.

WEALTH AND JOB CREATION

Relatedly, the governors-elect have to create wealth and jobs.  With unemployment rate rising to the skies and poverty ravishing the land, the state chief executives are expected to reposition the states to address these challenges.

SECURITY

From insurgency in some parts of the North to ethnic banditry, armed robbery and other forms of violent crime, the need to maintain security in the states is key to development.  The governors-elect are, therefore, expected to be effective chief security officers to be able to protect the lives and property of their citizens.

ATTRACTING INVESTMENT

It’s important for states to encourage investment which will not only create the most needed jobs but revenue.  First is for the governors to create the enabling environment for investment.  There would also be the need to initiate policies to help facilitate this investment drive.  By and large, the states would be better off than entirely depending on subventions from the Federal Government.

  -UCHE OLEHI

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Written by Encomium

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