TSA not designed to revoke financial autonomy of MDAs – Akpara
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State Government says that the newly launched integrated tax system via the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which came into effect on Friday, September 1, 2023, would not conflict with the financial autonomy of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other government institutions in the state.
The Commissioner for Finance, Mike Akpara, gave the explanation on the operations of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system during an expository meeting with all financial officers across the State’s institutions,.
Akpara explained that the unified tax system was inducted to help make tax collection across the state transparent and accountable, thereby eliminating middlemen and proliferation of tax collections.
He emphasised that the TSA system did not replace the accounting and auditing functions of financial officers, noting, however, that it would rather help to show, at a glance, the financial progress of MDAs and government institutions.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Special adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR), Chimeremeze Isaac Okeigbo, maintained that all taxes generated internally and the receipt of all expenditures would be reflected on the system.
He reiterated that the Unified tax system does not contradict any fiscal autonomy of institutions that have constitutional backings and implored institutions to integrate their receipts to reflect on the tax system.
Okeigbo enjoined all tax payers, including individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises to get their Abia State Social Identity Number (ABSSIN), which would serve as their code for tax receipt generation.
He further informed that over 800 agents have been spread across the state to help individuals generate their ABSSIN number, adding that more youths were still undergoing training on the issuance of the number.
Acting Chairman, Abia State Internal Revenue Service, Ukaegbu Peacebe, in remarks, assured that the administration of Governor Alex Otti requires the support of all financial officers for the TSA to succeed in the state.
In a vote of thanks, the Account-General, Njum Onyemenam, represented by the State Cashier, Okey Gberemakor, thanked the participants of the programme and encouraged them to ensure that all services rendered would be of good quality and transparency.
