Akwa Ibom State commissioner for finance, Nsikan NKan, has charged revenue Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to be more committed in revenue collections to ensure effective accountability in the revenue management system.
Speaking during the stakeholders meeting of the Akwa Ibom State Revenue Collection Committee to review revenues generated by different MDAs, he described revenue as an indispensable tool that aids government to carry out its functions effectively, and tasked stakeholders to take ownership of the system so that revenues that accrue to the state could be properly accounted for.
Nkan, who is also the chairman of the revenue committee, emphasised the importance of streamlining the system, maintaining that MDAs should keep one revenue account and remit same to government’s designated Treasury Single Account to safeguard the funds against diversions and leakages.
He lauded the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, for appointing a substantive Board for Internal Revenue Service, made up of members with impeccable records of achievements, and expressed confidence in their capacity to turn around the fortunes of the board to achieve projected revenue targets.
In his remarks, Okon Okon stressed the importance of revenue to State’s development and appreciated the Commissioner, Nsikan Nkan for initiating ways of improving the State’s internally generated revenue.
Okon opined that the present revenue system in the State is not properly coordinated and hence the need to restructure its network to achieve a synergy between Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The chairman assured that the board would take concrete steps to reposition the Internal Revenue Service in tandem with global best practices to achieve set goals, while harping on the centralization and harmonization of revenue account reports.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
