Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Imo Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has said the state is targeting an increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N800 million to N1 billion monthly.
Ihedioha also said with the Court of Appeal affirming his victory, the days of distractions were over as he is fully focused to develop the state.
The governor who spoke through Senior Special Assistant on Information and Advocacy, Adaora Onyechere, blamed leakages on close to 250 bank accounts operated by the past administration and illegal collections for the state’s poor revenue.
Onyechere said the administration embraced the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to block leakages and ensure accountability of generated revenue.
According to him, revenues generated were now channel to proper infrastructure development for the benefit of the people.
“The Court of Appeal affirming His Excellency’s election has ended the distraction; not that work has ever stopped, but the real works start after the court’s decision. Now that we have passed the Appeal Court stage, the people will be looking more to the realization of promises made at the campaigns,” Onyechere said.
Onyechere lamented the operations of touts who collected revenues for the state saying they activities led to leakages in internally gyrated revenues.
“Before now we had touts and illegal agencies collecting revenues and that led to the leakages. Governor Ihedioha has charged aides to look at innovative ways to increase IGR in 27 local councils. The automated clock-in and clock-out system for government staff has saved the state N283 million from ghost workers. He wants to rekindle the faith of investors to rebuild Imo through the ease of doing business. Some countries were mistreated by the last administration in execution of projects, but the governor has rekindled trust in bilateral relations. Some of the projects are with the World Bank. The governor also wants to rekindle teachers training,” said Onyechere.