Clement Nnachi, Abakaliki
Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, on Monday, swore-in a former Managing Director of the defunct Spring Bank, Mr. Mike Chukwu as chairman of the state’s Internal Revenue Board.
Also sworn-in as members of the 7-member board included a former governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state during the 2015 general election, Dr. Austin Nweze and a former Commissioner for Finance, Lands and Urban Development, Chief Jonah Egba, among others.
Speaking during the swearing ceremony held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, in Abakaliki , Governor Umahi charged the members to reposition the board within three months.
According to the governor, “Members must begin to generate money for the Board and the State Government within the next three months,”
“After the next three months, government money will not be used to pay your salaries, running costs and allowances, they would be paid from what you generate.
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“What we expect you to do is to come in, clean the system increase the revenue profile, take percent of the revenue to run the Board.
“The truth of the matter is that the lean resources of the state cannot pay the salaries and allowances of these heavy men and women.”
The governor also described the appointment of the Board members as a social contract, insisting that the Government was not rendering any favour to the members.
He continued, “It is not a political appointment, we are choosing the crème of our intellectuals to assist us in this nagging problem of our revenue collection, we remain the least in the entire federation and it shouldn’t be.
“The quarry alone, the lead and zinc should give us what we are looking for, be focused, you will see the benefit of it, if anybody feels that it is political patronage, it is not true.”
Governor Umahi enjoined the members to put in their wealth of experience in the assignment, geared towards increasing the revenue profile of the State.
In his acceptance speech on behalf of the members, Chief Chukwu, assured the state government that they would endeavour to discharge their duties to the best of their abilities.