Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said his administration will in January 2024 introduce Land Use Charge for all developers in the state.
The governor said the move is aimed at fast tracking the state’s development index and shoring up Internally Generated Revenue.
The additional revenue, he said would help government undertake more projects across all sectors.
Oyebanji spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, during a special prayer session organised by the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP).
He said, “By January 2024, we will dedicate a fixed amount for the payment of your gratuity monthly at both state and local governments.
“The labour is agitating for wage increase for workers, they also have the right. We will look for ways to balance the two. We have to balance the everything and make sure everybody is happy.
“I appeal to my people in government to be selfless, we need to be sacrificial, because election has an expiry date. We will still go back to the people, what are we going to tell them if we fail them?”
Speaking further on the proposed Land Use Charge, Oyebanji promised that the impending tax would be made affordable for all citizens.
“We are going to make it affordable. And I want to assure you that we will use the money for development and when we do this, I know that our people will be motivated to pay.”
The prayer session was attended by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeoye Aribasoye; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Habitat Adubiaro and members of the State Executive Council.
The governor described pensioners as central to the progress of the state, having served zealously in the past.
“How could someone work for that number of years and now can’t afford what to eat? This is not good enough. We will continue to attend to your welfare to make lives easier for you,” he said.
Oyebanji disclosed that he was already working with the Head of Service to ensure a more regular payment of gratuities to retired workers.