By Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
Prominent Ukwa-Ngwa politician and opinion leader, Dr Tom Otuka, has called on the Abia State Gov – elect Dr Alex Oti to prioritise measures aimed at boosting the internally generated revenue, IGR, of the state, noting that it holds the key to fast- tracking the socio-economic development of the state.
He has also charged the incoming administration to resuscitate most of the moribund but potentially revenue generating establishments, such as the Abia Palm, Azunmiri Glass Industry all in Ukwa to further shore up the revenue generating capacities of Abia.
Dr Tom Otuka posited that all necessary steps need to be taken to block leakages in the revenue collection and management of the state ‘s resources, citing the Abia State Oil Producing And Development Commission, ASOPADEC, as one of such places the regime needs to beam its searchlight.
Dr Otuka, a Consultant Gynaecologist made this known in an Open Letter he addressed to the Dr Otti’s Transition Committee dated April 22, 2023 and made available to NewsCritic online in Aba last Saturday.
According to him, Abia State has the potentials to generate internally between N12 billion and N15 billion monthly. He regretted, however, that over the years, experience has shown that a large chunk of these revenues find their way into the private pockets of a few corrupt political office holders, their cronies and family members, who after paying meagre sums into government coffers at the beginning of each fiscal year proceed to collect the revenue for the entire year. This he noted has largely accounted for the abysmally low and scandalous figures being posted as monthly internally generated revenue. He advised the Gov-elect to consider the adoption of a Single Treasury Account, STA, as part of the measures to stem the ugly tide.
Otuka who was a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and presently the leader of the nascent All Peoples Party, APP, in Ukwa land in the letter, urged Dr Otti to revisit the botched establishment of the Obuaku Seaport and revamp the now moribund Azumiri Glass Industry, noting that apart from adding value to the internally generated revenue profile of the state, they will accelerate the economic development of not only Abia state, but the entire South East region, as well as create numerous job opportunities to arrest youth restiveness.
“Going by the plight and current travail of Igbos especially in Lagos, a seaport closer home will force our people to relocate their businesses home and it will help the growth of home economy and secure the investment of our people,”Otuka posited.
He also charged the Abia Gov-elect to as a matter of urgent importance take more than a cursory look at the operations of ASOPADEC, describing the interventionist outfit as a cesspool of corruption, serving only the narrow interests of a few political actors, while wilfully abdicating its responsibilities to the people.
“In the last 10-years ASOPADEC has received more than N15 billion, but sadly you cannot see any intervention on the ground worth N5 million naira. What has been happening is that these monies keep on going into the pockets of a few top government functionaries, with the connivance of the government hand-picked ASOPADEC officials. The commission needs surgical operation, the cancer in it presently is too debilitating,”Otuka stressed.
