Enugu Leading in IGR Automation, Says Finance Committee

Enugu Leading in IGR Automation, Says Finance Committee

The Enugu State Sectoral Ad-hoc Committee on Finance, Review of Internally Generated Reve

nue and International Development Partners’ Funding has said the state has one of the strongest internally generated revenue (IGR) automation mechanisms in the country.
The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Godwin Owoh made the disclosure when he led members of his committee alongside other remaining four committees to the state governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi yesterday.

At the meeting, Owoh said Enugu State “is leading and has one of the strongest IGR automation mechanisms in the country, based on their comparative analysis of about six similar states in terms of accessing, collection and accounting for tax and other government revenues.”

Owoh said the finance committee worked in accordance with its terms of reference, adding that they narrowed down to key specifics and made critical findings after data gathering and extensive engagements with relevant stakeholders.

He pointed out that their findings on the operation of the state’s finances, such as budget implementation and tracking, in-depth evaluation of the IGR mechanism of the state, donor funding issues, management of assets both tangible and intangible, and development of key strategic agenda that would help the state to deliver on most of its key functional areas, were encouraging and commendable.

The chairman said after a comprehensive critical analysis of the specific findings, the committee came up with detailed recommendations that will assist the Ugwuanyi administration in delivering fully on its set targets.
Owoh disclosed that the committee in the course of its assignment discovered that “while the expectation from the state government is rising, the resources available to government is reducing”, stressing that the development “creates a very major challenge especially in the area of resource management”.

He, therefore, pointed out that the committee took cognisance of the challenge and ensured that their report recommended “policies and programmes that will enable the state imbibe private sector consciousness in delivery the entire public sector objectives”.

He commended Ugwuanyi for the innovation and far-reaching reforms his administration introduced in the State Internal Revenue Service, which he said was responsible for the impressive increase in its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Also at the meeting, Ugwuanyi appreciated the members of the committees for their commitment and diligence in the discharge of their tasks, noting with delight the enthusiasm and positive feedback that greeted the exercise, describing it as a source of motivation.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to participatory democracy and promised to optimize the committees’ recommendations by “putting together committed, competent and self-motivated delivery teams to implement them across the sectors in consultation with our revered stakeholders” which is ongoing at the moment.

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