The Ekiti Government, on Sunday said it would leave no stone unturned in 2021 to improve the security situation in the state, stating that the sum of N1.4billion has been set aside in the 2021 Appropriation for the State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps.

There has been growing rate of insecurity in the state of late, particularly kidnapping.

Commissioner for budget Femi Ajayi made this known at a press conference in Ado Ekiti where he gave the detailed analysis of the N109.666 budget passed by the state legislative and recently assented to governor Kayode Fayemi.

Mr. Fayemi had on December 23, 2020, assented to the budgetary provision, christened “Budget of Recovery and Economic Restoration”, comprising N58. 4 billion for recurrent and N51.6 billion for capital expenditures .

Mr. Ajayi said that the priority to security was in a bid to further attract investment and ensure safety of all investors and residents.

” Following the incessant security challenges which include kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes, robberies in the country, to ensure the security of lives and properties, governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurated the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund coined ‘Amotekun’ in collaboration with other South-Western States on 19th October, 2020.

“A sum of N1.44 billion has been earmarked as capital allocation for Amotekun Corps. For procurement of Drones for surveillance, a sum of N550 million has been earmarked while a total of N320 million will be spent on safe city project and the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund will gulp a sum of N55 million,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner said that government had also earmarked a total of N8 billion to critical areas of social services, to include the education sector, health, gender empowerment, social security and other pivotal sub-sectors critical to the growth of the state’s economy.

To fund the budget, Ajayi said that a total of N29.6 billion was expected from the federation account, N8.4 billion raised from Internally Generated revenue including taxes and other fees while N4.5 billion would be generated from tertiary institutions, including other sundry sources.

The Commissioner stated that the budget was tailored towards resetting the economy to rise to COVID-19 challenges and open a new vista in the fight against poverty, engendering of industrial growth and agribusiness.