Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has appealed to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to give favourable consideration to the state’s request for access to the Natural Resources Fund to support Abia’s development in key sectors of the economy.
Governor Otti made the request on Wednesday when he received members of RMAFC Team 2, Fiscal Efficiency and Budget Committee in his office at Nvosi, Isialangwa South LGA.
The team led by Chairman of the committee, Ambassador Desmond Akawor is tasked with Natural Resources Fund Access Request Verification.
The governor said agriculture, solid minerals and tourism were among the mainstays of Abia’s economy, noting that a large proportion of the state’s population depended on agriculture for their livelihoods.
“The areas of agriculture, solid minerals and tourism. By the time you are done, you will find that these are the mainstay of this economy. A chunk of our people are involved in agriculture.
“We would request that you consider us very, very positively. I’m glad that we applied, and I’m glad that you are here”, he said.
Governor Otti also pointed to the state’s solid mineral deposits, citing the Lokpanta, Arochukwu and Ikwuano belts, as well as oil resources in Ukwa West LGA of the state.
The Governor however, noted that petroleum resources remained on the Exclusive Legislative List, making partnership with the Federal Government necessary for the state to derive greater value from its oil-producing areas.
The governor also linked the state’s application to his administration’s emphasis on fiscal discipline and capital development, saying Abia had allocated at least 80 per cent of its budget to capital expenditure over the past three years.
According to Governor Otti, capital expenditure accounted for 84 per cent of the state’s budget in 2024, while recurrent expenditure stood at 16 per cent.
He said the policy was part of efforts to reduce the cost of governance and ensure more efficient deployment of public resources.
Governor Otti thanked the delegation for its observations and encouraged the team to inspect other projects and landmarks in the state, including the Ojukwu Bunker and the Nnennaya Oti Bus Terminal.
The governor said although the National War Museum was a Federal Government project, his administration had chosen to partner with the Federal Government to ensure its restoration.
He also thanked RMAFC for its support and pledged the state government’s continued cooperation with the commission.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chairman, RMFAC Efficiency and Budget Committee, Ambassador Desmond Akawor explained that the team was in Abia to verify the state’s request for access to a fund established to support non-oil revenue-generating sectors.
Akawor said 1.68 per cent of the Federation Account was dedicated to special areas, particularly agriculture, solid minerals and tourism, adding that states seeking access to the fund were required to submit requests and make presentations on proposed projects.
He said the team would subsequently verify whether the projects were viable and capable of generating revenue for the states before making recommendations to the Federal Government.
Akawor disclosed that only Lagos, Bauchi and Yobe states had so far accessed the fund, while about ₦810 billion remained unreleased to states.
The RMFAC Team lead said the commission had intervened in discussions with relevant federal authorities over the outstanding funds, adding that proposals had also been considered for releasing part of the money to states that had already been recommended.
He noted that some states, including Abia, had previously not submitted requests but had now commenced the process of seeking access to the fund.
Akawor said the team was impressed by some of the infrastructure and development projects it inspected in Abia, including the condition of the National War Museum and commended the Otti led administration for intervening at the museum despite its being a national project.
The RMFAC team lead also praised the state’s road infrastructure adding that he was particularly impressed by the Port Harcourt road especially around Igbo Naku, which he said had previously been a fishing pond.
“I discovered there was no fishing pond anymore. Well-paved road. For that alone, for anybody who has associated himself one way or the other with Abia, Your Excellency, you have done well”, Akawor said.
He urged the governor to sustain the development efforts and assured him of the commission’s support within its mandate.
