Akwa Ibom To Enforce Treasury Single Account Across MDAs for Transparency, Accountability
Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has said the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the State will boost revenue growth and serve as a strategic tool to drive holistic development, enhance transparency and strengthen accountability across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Speaking during an engagement with revenue officers and key stakeholders at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, the governor said the TSA would help increase internally generated revenue, block leakages and provide reliable data to support planning and development initiatives.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the current revenue collection framework, criticising the practice of MDAs spending revenues they generate while still receiving monthly imprest from the government.
“Our revenue collection drive and system have not been very effective. We have invested a lot of time reviewing our systems since coming into office, and these are the efforts people do not see compared to the physical structures,” he said.
Highlighting gains from ongoing reforms, Eno disclosed that more than 2,000 unaccredited workers were uncovered in the State Civil Service through a digital verification exercise driven by the Ministry of Science and Digital Economy. He commended the commissioner for advancing the initiative.
He added that the state now operates a digital platform that allows civil servants and political appointees to carry out self-verification and access payroll information on their mobile devices using their identity numbers.
Under the TSA regime, he explained, collection costs and operational funds will be processed through an automated system to ensure standardisation and eliminate abuse.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Finance, Emem Almond Bob, described the TSA as a major public financial management reform of the current administration. He commended the governor for clearing inherited commercial bank debts of N39.831 billion, paying nearly N80 billion in gratuity arrears out of a N111 billion backlog dating back to 2012, maintaining over 80 per cent budget performance, ensuring prompt salary payments, executing large-scale infrastructure projects and settling contractors’ obligations.
Bob said the engagement was convened to address stakeholders’ concerns and agree on modalities for remitting operational funds to revenue-generating MDAs and institutions.
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Kufreabasi Edidem, applauded the governor for institutionalising a sustainable digital revenue system that would outlive his tenure. He said the TSA was long overdue and would curb financial irregularities while strengthening audit processes.
Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Itorobong Etim, described the TSA as proof of the governor’s commitment to long-term financial stability in the state.
The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Uwemedimo Udo, represented by the Chairman of Ika Local Government Area, Utibe Nwoko, assured that local governments were ready to align fully with the new system.
The State Accountant General, Uwem Andrew-Essien, expressed confidence in the innovation, assuring stakeholders that anticipated bottlenecks had been resolved to guarantee a seamless transition.
The highlight of the event was a detailed presentation on the state’s remittance platform, AkwaRemit, delivered by the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Frank Ekpenyong, who outlined operational guidelines and compliance expectations under the TSA framework.
