Anambra State has requested N70 billion from the Federal Government's Stabilisation Fund to address insecurity, erosion and other infrastructure challenges threatening the state's economy and public services. The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission received the request during a technical session at its headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, with the state's Secretary to the Government, Chiamaka Nnake, leading the presentation.
According to the commission's statement, the proposed intervention would support security operations, environmental protection, healthcare, education and other development priorities. Nnake identified sit-at-home orders and movement restrictions as major disruptions to commercial activities that have reduced government revenue and weakened investor confidence in major economic centres including Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi. She disclosed that Anambra had more than 1,000 erosion sites affecting 146 communities, with addressing critical sites requiring approximately N170 billion. The state has already established a Homeland Security Law, created a security outfit and strengthened collaboration through a joint task force, Nnake said.
On social services, Nnake reported that the state's free antenatal care and delivery programme had supported more than 206,000 deliveries, including 642 Caesarean sections. The government has recruited 8,415 teachers and introduced free education from nursery school to Senior Secondary School Three. The state government put its estimated population at 8.9 million across 21 local government areas and has a gross domestic product of approximately $12.7 billion, with a projected 2026 budget of N766 billion. Internally generated revenue has increased from about N2.2 billion to N7.2 billion, though the periods covered were not specified. The state has distributed more than 2.3 million coconut and oil-palm seedlings and identified agriculture, solid minerals including kaolin, bentonite, lignite, silica sand, gypsum and laterite as areas requiring investment.
The Chairman of the commission's Indices and Disbursement Committee, Prof. Olusegun Adekunle Wright, said the request would undergo further scrutiny before any recommendation could be made. Wright explained that the Stabilisation Fund was intended to provide financial assistance in deserving circumstances, subject to established guidelines, resource availability and appropriate approval processes. The committee would examine the state's financial records, project costs, feasibility, implementation requirements and expected socioeconomic benefits. Wright stressed that the technical presentation did not amount to approval of the N70 billion request and that the commission's procedures required on-the-spot assessments of proposed projects before forwarding outcomes to the commission's plenary for consideration.