Date: 2016-09-14

Kwara State now has generated N1.5 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) monthly as against the former N500 million, it was learnt yesterday.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who spoke at a function organised by members of the Third Estate, Ilorin, noted that states must look beyond earnings from the federation account to survive funding challenges from the Federal Government, which hinder the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.

According to Ahmed, his administration had changed the process of revenue generation to meet challenges of infrastructural development without introducing taxes.

"I am happy that the consciousness has come to us as a country, as a state and most importantly, as a government, that we cannot continue to depend on federation allocations. Hence, we have been able to drive our internally generated revenue by changing the process and the personnel," he explained.

He added that as part of his administration's effort to drive agriculture as a money earner, 10,000 hectares of land was earmarked for next farming season to deepen the administration's Off-taker Demand Driven initiative in agriculture.

Chairman of the Third Estate Dr. Yusuf Lawal, said the body rendered community support, such as provision of borehole, financial assistance to indigent students and scholarship to brilliant students for postgraduate studies.