•Governor Umo Eno
HENSHAW NYONG, Uyo reporting
The introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the administration of Governor Umo Eno has significantly strengthened revenue generation in Akwa Ibom State, with government attributing the development to the closure of financial leakages and tighter control of public funds.
Speaking on Saturday during the Third Anniversary Media Briefing at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo, Governor Eno disclosed that the reform has transformed the state’s internally generated revenue profile and reduced the loss of funds that previously escaped government coffers through weak revenue collection channels.
According to the State Chief Executive, Akwa Ibom previously celebrated whenever monthly internally generated revenue approached the ₦2 billion mark. He, however, revealed that following the introduction of the TSA, revenue collections rose to ₦7.5 billion in the first month, increased to ₦10 billion in the second month and climbed further to ₦12 billion by the third month.
Governor Eno said the remarkable improvement was largely made possible by blocking leakages and introducing stricter monitoring measures across revenue-generating agencies. He noted that public funds now flow directly into government accounts, making it more difficult for revenue meant for development to end up in private pockets.
He explained that the TSA remains a key component of the administration’s financial management reforms under the ARISE Agenda, stressing that every naira recovered is being redirected towards projects and programmes that directly benefit the people.
The governor further disclosed that the improved revenue position has helped government clear a huge portion of outstanding obligations owed to contractors who executed projects across the state, thereby restoring confidence within the construction sector and accelerating work on ongoing projects.
He also recalled measures taken by the administration to sanitise the state payroll after the discovery of more than 2,000 ghost workers reportedly inserted into the system by unscrupulous elements. According to him, the exercise helped eliminate fraudulent salary payments, strengthen accountability and ensure that government resources are spent on genuine civil servants.
While expressing satisfaction with the progress recorded in three years, Governor Eno maintained that his administration remains focused on building strong institutions and sustainable systems that will continue to serve the state beyond the present administration.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ekerete Udoh, commended media practitioners for their support in projecting government activities and development efforts across the state.
They maintained that three years after assuming office, the administration has ticked all the boxes of the ARISE Agenda, which they described as the governance compass of Governor Umo Eno.
The briefing was attended by members of the State Executive Council, heads of ministries, departments and agencies, journalists, civil society groups and other media stakeholders.
