By Our Reporter

Delta State has emerged as the top-ranked state in liquidity among Nigeria’s 36 states, Commissioner for Finance Sir Fidelis Okenmor Tilije has said.

Tilije attributed the feat to the state government’s fiscal discipline, improved revenue generation and prudent resource management.

News Gleaner NG reports that the commissioner made the disclosure during a meeting with management and staff of the Ministry of Finance in Asaba, where he outlined the financial strategies underpinning the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

He said those measures had strengthened Delta’s capacity to meet its financial obligations while sustaining critical development projects.

According to Tilije, the state’s improved fiscal position was driven by reforms implemented under the administration’s M.O.R.E Agenda, particularly its commitment to responsible borrowing, revenue diversification and efficient public financial management.

He said Delta was funding its 2026 procurement cycle and executing major projects across the roads, bridges, healthcare and education sectors without contracting new debt.

Tilije identified the state’s zero-borrowing fiscal approach as a key component of its financial strategy, noting that the government was focused on meeting its development obligations through available resources rather than accumulating additional debt.

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He said the expansion of the state’s revenue base, particularly through non-oil economic activities and improved internally generated revenue (IGR), had contributed significantly to its financial stability.

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The commissioner stressed that IGR growth was not driven by increased tax rates but by reforms aimed at professionalising revenue collection, widening the tax net, improving compliance and eliminating revenue leakages.

He added that the government was preparing to introduce more economically viable empowerment programmes designed to improve livelihoods and expand opportunities for residents.

On workers’ welfare, Tilije said the state had maintained a consistent record of paying salaries to more than 60,000 workers between the 24th and 25th of every month.

He also highlighted the institutionalisation of the 13th-month salary for public servants, describing it as part of the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare and financial stability.

In the health sector, the commissioner said the government had sustained free medical services for pregnant women and children under five in government hospitals, alongside efforts to upgrade primary healthcare centres across the state.

Tilije said the administration would sustain its commitment to fiscal responsibility, infrastructure development and investments in human capital, adding that prudent resource management remained central to delivering on its development agenda.

He also called on Deltans to support Oborevwori’s re-election bid in 2027, expressing confidence in the administration’s ability to consolidate its achievements and advance the state’s development.