By Cajetan Mmuta
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo has banned various ministries, departments and agencies from collecting revenue across the state.

He said the decision was to centralize the payment and collection centres for all revenue accruing to the state.

Commissioner for Information, Mr Paul Nwosu disclosed this to newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council (ANSEC) meeting held Wednesday in Awka the state capital.

Mr Nwosu said, “The is to avoid the situation where Information Communication Technology (ICT) vendors who in the past had worked for different MDAs and at the expiration of their contract still hold on to valuable data thereby holding government to ransom.”

12,387 Nigerians applied for National Housing Scheme — Fashola

“In the light of this, Anambra State ICTA has now been charged with the responsibility to holistically consolidate and manage the data of all the MDAs in Anambra,” he said.

According to the commissioner, this decision was reached today being Wednesday during the ANSEC meeting where the need to centralize the data of all the MDAs with the State’s Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) was discussed.

He said that it was the sole responsibility of Anambra State Internal Rvenue Service to collect revenues as the revenue collection process had been digitized to reduce leakages.

“To achieve this, each ministry should own and be able to provide baseline data on itself and MDAs under it, as government decisions will be evidence-based and data driven henceforth.’’

Nwosu also said that at the ANSEC meeting, an elaborate presentation was made by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr Obinna Ngonadi on enhancing the Igbo Apprenticeship Scheme called “Igba Boi’’ in Igbo parlance.

“Dr Ngonadi said that it was a scheme peculiar to Ndi Igbo and has over the years been a unique venture and capital raising model studied in business schools around the world, which he said is unfortunately under threat.”

2023: PDP mistreated, disrespected Wike – Ortom

“He pointed out that government is critically looking at all manner of variables that will sustain and reinvigorate the unique business model.”

“Consequently, an ANSEC Committee was set to come up with ways to enhance the apprenticeship scheme so that an enduring policy can be formulated on it.’’

Nwosu also said that ANSEC frowned at the case of a woman of 75 years who was viciously raped to the point of coma in Awkuzu, pointing out that the man who committed the crime revealed that his native doctor told him that raping such an old woman would make him rich.

The young man had since been arrested and the police was on the trail of the native doctor whose shrine would eventually be destroyed,* he added.