8th May 2025, NewsOrient, Opinion, Column, News, Governance And Development, News
By Emeka Nwosu, PhD.

A few days ago, the Honourable Commissioner for Information in Abia State, Prince Okey Kanu, announced the decision of the Abia State Government to improve its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N40 Billion to N120 Billion by end of 2025.

The essence is to bring all taxable adults and institutions under the tax net so that government would have sufficient funds to continue with the laudable projects that are being executed across the length and breadth of the state.

The government led by Dr. Alex Chioma Otti has shown itself as an administration that is in a hurry to take the state to great economic heights. Within less than two years, so much has been done in the infrastructural transformation of Abia State.

So many signature projects are being undertaken simultaneously across the various Senatorial zones of the state. They include massive road constructions and rehabilitation, the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP) at Ukwa, Abia Airport project at Nsulu, and rehabilitation and retrofitting of primary healthcare centres and schools in the state.

All these projects involve huge funding to execute. Many have been completed and commissioned while others like the strategic Port Harcourt Road in Aba has been completed and is to be commissioned as part of the second year anniversary activities of the Otti administration. The expansion and modernization of the Abia Tower-Ossah Road, the main approach road to the State capital, Umuahia, has since been completed and commissioned. The stretch from the Abia Tower to the border with Imo State at the Imo Bridge is progressing satisfactorily.

Several other projects are coming up in different parts of the state. The government needs funds to deliver these projects and provide other dividends of democracy to the people. It is therefore no wonder that the governor increased the budgetary outlay of the state in 2025 to N750 Billion from the N523 Billion budget for 2024.

The N120 Billion IGR target appears to be a herculean task, considering the poor attitude of Nigerians to taxation. The Honourable Commissioner is however optimistic that the government would meet the goal. To achieve this, he said the state would soon commence enumeration of houses and business outlets with the aim of bringing more residents and businesses into its tax net.

He stated: “In the coming weeks, the state will begin a comprehensive enumeration of houses and businesses and these will be integrated with the Abia State Social Identification Number (ABSSIN).
“Government will ensure equity in taxation and more importantly, it will serve as a gateway for Abia people to access vital social services”.

Prince Kanu said the new initiative will enable residents to access government social services, assist in the design of optimal economic policies, and also help secure the state against criminal activities. He urged the people of Abia to support the Otti administration by paying their taxes, and informed residents that the comprehensive data capture of houses and business in the state would be integrated with the Abia State Social Identification Number (ABSSIN).

The decision to bring all residents and businesses in Abia under the state`s tax net is a positive initiative that requires the support of all residents and citizens of the state. They should not see the action as an attempt to subject them to economic hardship. It is the constitutional responsibility of government to provide for the welfare and security interests of the people.

These interests include social services such as roads, hospitals, schools, water, electricity etc. On the part of the citizens, they have the constitutional obligation to obey the laws of the land and discharge their civic responsibilities which fundamentally include the payment of taxes. So, the people of Abia should brace up and buy into this initiative if the government is to continue with its various development programmes aimed at the economic transformation of the state.

Under two years, Governor Otti has changed the face of Abia State, touching practically every aspect of the economy. The two main cities of Aba and Umuahia are being transformed, with similar gestures being extended to Ohafia to serve as a major development hub in Abia North. Rural communities are being opened up and connected to the city centres through numerous road projects. This has resulted in the economic empowerment of many farming communities who can now move their farm products to urban centres without hitches.

The people need to discharge their own duties to enable government continue with the ongoing inclusive development in the state. We can only caution that those that are going to carry out this policy initiative should do so with human face and refrain from any actions that would bring pains to the people. In this regard, it would be necessary for government to put in place a framework that should monitor the exercise to ensure that any excesses on the part of the executors are promptly curbed.

May Abia continue to prevail!

Dr. Nwosu, a Public Policy Analyst, writes from Umuahia.
Email: cdnwosu2@gmail.com

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

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