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The introduction of the Treasury Single Account by the Akwa Ibom State Government has resulted in the growth of its Internally Generated Revenue from N7.5bn to N12bn within three months, Governor Umo Eno has said.
Eno said within the period of introducing TSA, the IGR grew from N7.5bn in the first month to N10.2bn in the second month and reached N12bn in the third month.
According to the governor, the state government was struggling to generate N5m monthly, adding that TSA has helped to block leakages associated with revenue generation.
Speaking at a media briefing to mark the third anniversary of his administration, Eno said it has become mandatory for all revenue generated by ministries, departments, and agencies to be remitted to the state’s TSA, adding that anybody found to have flouted the order would be sanctioned.
He disclosed that the state government has spent over N740bn on roads within the last three years, covering over 1,348 km while lamenting the challenge of dealing with local contractors who, according to him have not been able to deliver on projects even after payment of a reasonable contract fee.
Eno, who threatened to terminate the contract for a road project in Uyo capital city which was awarded in 2024 soon after he assumed office, gave the contractor until July to complete the project or have the contract terminated.
“The greatest challenge we have is with local contractors,” he said. “Except the contractor mobilises to the site and fixes that road, I have given him until July this year,” he added.
The contractor was awarded to Nsik Engineering Ltd. I met him as a contractor; he bidded the job and won and we awarded the contract, another road contract that was awarded at the same time and was more technical and completed has since been completed and inaugurated,” he said.
Eno, who announced plans to set up a committee to fix deplorable roads within Uyo, the state capital, particularly the growing number of roads with potholes, said it was part of efforts to find a permanent solution to the menace of potholes within the city.
He disclosed that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) would arrive in the state soon, having completed all the basic infrastructure for the commencement of the scheme in the state.
Eno also expressed the readiness of the state government to partner with investors over mounting refuse and waste in the state to turn them into wealth as is being done in other states, adding that the partnership would help to check the indiscriminate waste disposal within the city centre.
Eno assumed office in May 2023 as governor of Akwa Ibom state, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but has since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he has won the party’s ticket as its flag bearer in next year’s election.
