Abia State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Sam Onuigbo

By Ndubuisi Francis

Abia State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Sam Onuigbo says the state is desirous of actualising the Aba Dry Port, and is looking beyond allocations from the Federation Account by diversifying its internally generated revenue (IGR) sources to stimulate growth and development.

Aba was among the six destinations across the country designated as dry ports during the regime of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Onuigbo, who spoke in Abuja after being conferred with the fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Abuja, said receipts from the Federation Account were dwindling, which called for the exploitation of the huge potential that abound in the state.

“For instance, Aba alone, the way it is going, can generate revenue to power the state. So, we are also looking at some other sources. We are looking at some other qualities I do not intend to disclose here to reposition the state to move in the right direction,” he said.

Reminded that the Federal Government had several years ago designated Aba as a dry port, which the state had not exploited to advantage, the commissioner said on the contrary, efforts to make the dry port a reality had intensified.

“It is important at this point to state that the dry port is not located in Aba; it is at Isi Ala Ngwa North Local Government and the government of Theodore Orji has done much that is needed to achieve the dry port. I was commissioner for land and I know that we worked hard to clear the area.”