Imo State Government Signs Administration Bill

He said the law would assist in improving the revenue base of the state by closing leakages occasioned by the engagement of multiple consultants who rip off the state.

Uzodimma said, “Before now, the law provides for consultants that collect 10 per cent of the total revenue, 10 per cent goes to the Board of Internal Revenue, 20 per cent to ENTRACO and 10 per cent to the OCDA.

“At the end of the month, 50 per cent of the internally generated revenue is gone, leaving the state with only 50 per cent of the IGR collected.”

This, he said, was in violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The governor stated that the amendment he assented to empowered the Board of Internal Revenue to spend five per cent of the IGR for the payment of salaries of their workers and other personnel services.

He added that the expenditure would be subjected to appropriation by the state House of Assembly.

Uzodinma, however, explained that, with the amendment, the state stood to gain more as 95 per cent of the total IGR would go directly to the state coffers as against the 50 per cent, which he said, was the old order.

The Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Chiji Collins, also said the law, which was similar to the Lagos State Revenue Law before its amendment, had not benefited the state.

The speaker said the amendment, would reduce the volume of money that the state loses through consultancy.

Meanwhile, Uzodinma has said his administration will support moves that will guarantee independence of the judiciary in the state.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Oguwike Nwachukwu, Uzodinma spoke during a meeting with serving and retired judges, members of the Judicial Service Commission, Executives of Magistrate Association and Chairmen of Customary Courts.

He promised to look into the plights of judicial workers in the state.

The governor also assured them that his administration would ensure independence of the three arms of government.

The chief judge of the state, Justice Paschal Nnadi, said the plights of judges included payment of severance packages to judges, gratuity, pension to retired judges, provision of vehicles to serving judges and payment of allowances of judges from May 2016 to April 2019.