Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has reiterated his commitment to avoiding borrowing for state projects, stressing that he will not create a debt burden for future generations.
The governor emphasized that his administration will work within the state’s financial capacity, relying on federal allocations and internally generated revenue, while also focusing on offsetting the inherited debts upon assuming office.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr. Jude Okpor, made the announcement over the weekend, sharing a statement that highlighted the governor’s stance on fiscal responsibility. Okpor also revealed that reports from the Debt Management Office show Ebonyi as the least indebted state in the Southeast, as well as in Nigeria, with all of its debts being inherited.
Additionally, Okpor noted that Ebonyi State ranked second in the recently released 2024 BudgiT Fiscal Transparency League Table, marking a significant improvement from the previous year. This achievement, he said, reflects the effective and frugal management of resources under Governor Nwifuru’s leadership.
The statement continued by underscoring the governor’s resolve to avoid creating a financial burden on future generations. Governor Nwifuru has pledged to work within the financial resources available to the state, ensuring that the administration does not incur new debts. Okpor further stressed that any assessment of the state’s growth and governance should be comprehensive, citing credible data from both private and public bodies.
In relation to tax contributions, Okpor also pointed to a recent report from the National Bureau of Statistics, which highlighted that the Southeast region ranked the lowest in southern Nigeria for both tax contributions and revenue allocations in 2024. He noted that creative leadership, particularly in light of ongoing tax reforms, will be key to driving progress in the region.
Okpor also praised Governor Nwifuru’s creativity in maximizing Ebonyi’s contributions to the VAT pool, showcasing the governor’s ability to navigate fiscal challenges and ensure the state’s continued development.
The statement reads in part: “It is no longer news that the governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is committed to his avowed resolve not to indulge in borrowing, not even a dime, for the execution of projects in the state.
“He does not believe in creating a debt burden for future generations. He works within the financial capacity of the state as enabled by the federal allocation and internally generated revenue. He is equally committed to offsetting the debt he inherited on assumption of office.
“Moreover, any effort at evaluating the indices for growth, development, and quality governance should not be selective. It should be comprehensive, including statistical facts provided by reliable bodies – both private and public
“For instance, verifiable information from the Debt Management Office detailing the Domestic Debt Data for the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory readily shows that Ebonyi is the least indebted state (all inherited) among the states in the Southeast, and Nigeria at large.
“More so, Ebonyi State came second in the recently released 2024 BudgiT Fiscal Transparency League Table among the states in the federation. A tremendous improvement on the 2023 report and a testament of frugal management of resources by FON-led administration.
On the issue of tax contribution, he said: “Furthermore, a recent publication by the National Bureau of Statistics on tax contribution by states and revenue allocations to states in 2024, Southeast, was the worst in southern Nigeria.
“Viewed through the prism of the current tax reforms, where it succeeds, only creative Governors will be able to keep their state on the terra firma of meaningful progress.
Reacting on the issue of creativity by the governor, he said “Nwifuru’s ingenuity in this light could be seen in what South-East states contributed to the VAT pool and what they received in 2024:
