A’Ibom Assembly asks govt to pay recovered monies into CRA

Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to pay all monies recovered from looters into the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA).

The speaker made the call during a one-day public hearing on a bill to “make provision for the administration and collection of revenue due to Akwa Ibom State, and to establish the relevant administrative structure and other matters connected therewith.”

According to him, the president must abide by the Constitution, especially in line with its anti-corruption fight. He asserted that since the Constitution provides that all monies generated by the federal government should be paid into the consolidated fund account, the money so recovered from the fight against corruption should therefore be shared among the states for the benefit of the people.

He tasked stakeholders and members of the public to contribute positively to the executive bill on revenue collection and administration in the state, as the state Assembly plans legislative backing to the bill.

“We seek to elicit public inputs which shall form part of our decisions on the establishment of the needed administration structures.

He lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel, for taking proactive steps towards structuring the state economy for an increase in internally generated revenue.

“As a people’s assembly, we feel obliged to support the governor’s efforts in all ways possible to ensure that government collects revenue due to it, as well as expend what is generated for the benefit of Akwa Ibom people,” he added.

As its contribution, president of the Uyo Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture (UYOCCIMA), Obonganwa Imo Isemin, urged the lawmakers to ensure that the bill spells out the types of taxes/levies, which should be collected by the revenue collectors.

“We all are not ignorant of the crude and unethical
method often employed by touts who veil themselves as tax collectors.