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2021: EKSG Acquires Drones To Combat Insecurity
According to the state government, there is an urgent need to boost security surveillance, expose criminal hideouts and combat security challenges in the State.
To combat insecurity in the state, Ekiti State government said it will acquire drones to combat the menace this new year.
According to the state government, there is an urgent need to boost security surveillance, expose criminal hideouts and combat security challenges in the State.
It would be recalled that insecurity and kidnappings have increased in the state in recent times.
Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Femi Ajayi, disclosed these while providing detailed analysis of the 2021 budget to journalists and critical stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend.
Ajayi said the state government projected a sum of N550 million to purchase the drones as part of plans to tackle rising cases of armed robbery, banditry and kidnapping in the state and ensure that lives and properties of residents are safe.
The commissioner said the budget would be financed through earnings from Federation allocation, Internally Generated Revenue, Value Added Tax, funds from international donor agencies, grants from Federal Government, State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS), State Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) and sundry sources.
Ajayi also explained that the state government will continue to focus on the completion of critical capital projects in the state, adding about N18 billion was budgeted for personnel cost, which he said includes provision for the payment of consequential adjustments as agreed for the new minimum wage.
He added that a sum of N1.9 billion has been appropriated to agriculture and rural development to boost food production and enhance the distribution of agricultural produce to both new and existing markets.