Audio: Governor Makinde Questions Increase In Federal Allocations, Asks If It Comes From Being Productive
By Micheal Oladejo
Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has questioned the recent increase in federal allocations to state governments under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, asking whether the additional funds are a product of genuine economic productivity.
The governor’s remarks come amid ongoing economic reforms by the Federal Government, as President Tinubu maintains that states are receiving their due share of national revenue, while urging governors to ensure the funds reach people at the grassroots.
Governor raised concerns over public discussions suggesting that state governments are now receiving significantly higher federal allocations, questioning the source of the increase.
According to him, increased revenue should ideally result from productivity rather than mere adjustments in revenue sharing.
While speaking at a gathering in Ibadan, the governor asked whether the rise in allocations was driven by the country becoming more productive.
Listen to the audio below:
He stressed that economic growth must be anchored on value creation and warned against overreliance on federal funds without deliberate efforts to grow state economies.
Governor Makinde explained that Oyo State is intentionally moving from what he described as a consumptive economy to a productive one.
He said the goal is to build an economy that can generate wealth internally through agriculture, industry, and innovation, rather than depending mainly on federal allocations.
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had before now defended his administration’s economic direction, stating that he is working to improve national revenue while ensuring that states receive their statutory entitlements and even above what they needed.
The President, however, emphasized that governors must be considerate and sympathetic to the needs of the people.
President Tinubu noted that governance must reflect the realities at the local level, where citizens live, farm, cook, and earn their livelihoods.
He then questioned whether funds allocated to states are effectively reaching the grassroots and positively impacting the daily lives of the people.
As federal allocations increase, attention is now shifting to how effectively these funds are utilized by states to drive sustainable development, reduce hardship, and improve the lives of citizens at the grassroots, reinforcing the need for accountability and a deliberate focus on building productive local economies.