Abia State Governor Alex Otti Urges Improved Revenue Collection Strategies

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, expressed concerns over the state’s poor Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile and called for the implementation of better strategies to improve revenue collection in the state.

The Governor made these remarks at a 2-day revenue retreat organized by the Abia State government for heads of revenue-generating agencies and Directors of Finance of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

During the retreat, Governor Otti emphasized the need for Abia to put in place an efficient and transparent revenue collection system to achieve the lofty objectives of his administration.

He urged the revenue officials to devise innovative and modest strategies to shore up the state’s IGR profile, thereby reducing its dependency on federal allocations.

The Governor stressed the importance of keeping up with the rapidly changing world, citing advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence as examples.

He emphasized the need for the retreat to serve as a platform for brainstorming and coming up with new and effective ways of collecting revenues that are due to the government.

Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Kingsley Anosike, outlined the expectations from the retreat, which include restoring Abia’s glory as a center of commerce and global economic hub, broadening the state’s revenue base, and positively changing the state’s revenue culture and possibilities.

Chairman of the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue (ABIRS), Prof. Udochukwu Ogbonna, highlighted the importance of revenue generation for the success of the government.

He attributed the state’s low IGR to low knowledge of tax among the people and a lack of training among revenue-generating staff.

Governor Alex Otti’s call for improved revenue collection strategies in Abia State underscores the need for innovative and transparent methods to increase the state’s IGR.

This, in turn, will enable the government to fund its ambitious development projects and improve the overall economic well-being of the state.