Victor EzejaIn its quest to ensure efficient revenue management, the government of Anambra has resolved to fully digitize all sources of revenue generation in the state.
The state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo said the measure is to eliminate all forms for leakages of public funds to enable the government efficiently utilize them for public good especially in this period of dwindling oil revenue.
The governor made the disclosure while assenting to the revised appropriation budget of N170 billion on Thursday at the Government House, Awka.
It would be recalled that the Governor had during his inauguration in March, stated that his administration would make strong efforts to ensure that revenue generation sources in the state are efficiently managed to avoid leakages. He had subsequently suspended the sales of tickets at various motor parks by touts across the state and promised to common up with a more efficient electronic system of doing it and other forms of tax collections.
While performing the function of signing the budget tagged “Building Off From The Blocks”, Governor Soludo commended members of the House of Assembly for being diligent and responsive to their job as lawmakers and representatives of the people of Anambra State.
He stressed the need for stronger synergy between the legislature and other arms of government at all levels for smooth operations in art of governance.
In a post on his Facebook page, the governor said, “My first reaction as I signed the revised 2022 budget was gratitude to a responsive and responsible Legislature. I thank them for a strong partnership, which of course is a fundamental pillar of our quest for good governance. I feel deeply grateful to the leadership of the House for being able to deliver the revised budget on time.”
The Governor affirmed that there was no underhand dealings in signing the budget rather the process was conducted with integrity, patriotism and responsiveness, adding that such was a positive sign of “a new way of approaching governance that we are excited to mainstream.”
Speaking on budget financing, Soludo disclosed that the House of Assembly members have graciously approved his request to borrow the sum of N100 billion.
Explaining his decision to borrow the money, the governor recounted that in his campaign manifesto, N250 billion was estimated as the amount required to build critical infrastructure towards the realisation of the livable and prosperous homeland in the State. He, however, lamented that the resources at Government disposal currently are abysmally lean and can’t help in meeting it’s objectives.
He said, “I understand, in the short-term, the people cannot wait. Which is why as part of our financing plan, we have moved to borrowing. Out of the 250 billion required per annum to fill our critical infrastructure gap, we have settled for 100 billion which we hope to rollover to next year’s budget.
“For every kobo of this borrowing, we will channel it to meeting our critical infrastructure needs.
“We have chosen a multi-strategy approach, first is bringing prudence to public expenditure, boycott all unnecessary spendings and ratchet up our internally generated revenue.
“We are also cleaning our wage bill, increasing focus on paying off the back log of pensions and gratuity arrears, including those of Local Government workers.”
The Governor, therefore, thanked the Speaker and the House members for understanding the exigencies to approve the plan to borrow, and “promised Ndi Anambra that the money will be spent on critical infrastructure, particularly on roads, bridges, flyover, among other strategic places.”
Governor Soludo had in May, presented to the State House of Assembly, a new proposal of N170 billion which raised the budget from the initial N149.9 billion approved approved under the past administration of Willie Obiano.
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He explained then that the revision of the budget was considered necessary in order to reflect new realities of the challenges that needed to be tackled.
“The purpose of the 2022 Revised budget is to reflect current realities, challenges, and priorities of the new administration and Ndi Anambra,” Soludo had stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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