The Enugu State Executive Council has approved the recruitment of 30 additional personnel for the Enugu State Board of Internal Revenue to enhance its capacity and enable it accrue improved internal revenue for the state.
Speaking to journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House, Enugu, the state’s commissioner for information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele, said the approval was sequel to a complaint by the Board of Internal Revenue chairman that the organisation lacks the requisite manpower necessary to carry out its statutory assignments.
The Council also gave the Enugu State government approval to apply for the federal government’s Augmentation Fund created to help states augment the statutory allocation from the federation account.
“This fund is a support facility newly created by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission [RMAFC] to fund specific projects in states due to the decline in revenue,” he said.
The commissioner explained that equally approved was the award of contract for the completion of Orie-Emene-Adoration Ground Road to Amitec Construction and Development Company Limited at the sum of N591,891,457,450.
The Council had during its meeting of December, 2, 2015, approved the re-engagement and relocation of Cops Limited from the GRA Enugu Road contract to the rehabilitation of Orie-Emene Junction-Adoration Ground Road.
Udeuhele said that “having observed that Cops Limited could not complete the project because it lacks the capacity in terms of both personnel and equipment, the ministry of works terminated the contract and proceeded on a fresh procurement process to achieve government’s good intention at alleviating the sufferings of the residents of that part of Enugu.”
Also approved was the revalidation of contract for the construction of Ogurute-Igogoro-Amachalla Ugbaike-Obollo Afor road to Ferotex Construction Company Limited from its original approval of N98,O44,882.83 to N153,209,022.06 to ensure timely completion of the project.
According to the commissioner, the Council also approved the revalidation of the upgrade and construction of Mgbogodo-Akpugo-Iheokpara- Amagunze road for the sum of N835,688,O64.75 which was the project’s original cost.
Other approvals for capital projects include a contract for the rehabilitation of water way and flood control at Ebeano Tunnel, Enugu, awarded at the sum of N72,014,249.37; contract revalidation for the construction of Nguru-Edeoballa-Ehalumona road from N1,088,632,789.63 to N114,461,639.60; and a contract for the rehabilitation of the Trans Ekulu Flyover Slip road, in Enugu, valued at N46,683,548.10.
The commissioner explained that the Council further approved that a draft bill for a law to amend the Universal Education Law No. 2, 2005, and Enugu State Agency for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education Law Cap. 38, Laws of Enugu State 2004, and authorized that the said bills be forwarded to the Enugu State House of Assembly for legislative action.
