TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor,  Nyesom  Wike, has announced that the State Government will soon commence the operation of  Treasury Single Account (TSA) to boost its revenue base. 
Governor Wike also charged the Rivers Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) to grow the state’s monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to N10 billion.
He spoke yesterday, during the flag off of Informal Sector Tax Drive with vehicles donated by Access Bank Limited at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said: “We will initiate the  Treasury  Single Account to block revenue leakages.  I assure that very soon the Treasury Single Account will become operational.
“The Treasury Single Account will be implemented to checkmate what is presently going on. It is not good to have several accounts which lead to unnecessary leakages.
“Our revenue base fluctuates.  The board has been directed to expedite action for the state to hit N10 billion internally generated revenue every month”, he stated.
Governor Wike explained that the Treasury Single Account would be diligently implemented in the interest of Rivers State.
He said that his allegiance was to Rivers people who voted him, because he was not sponsored by any group.
He urged the informal sector to support the  state government by paying their taxes as prescribed by the Rivers Internal Revenue Service (RIRS).
“The drive for informal sector tax is key. I believe it will boost our revenue base and we need it”, he said.
He thanked Access Bank Limited for supporting the revenue drive of the state with the donation of 10 buses.
Chairman of Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS),  Adoage Norte, said that the flag off of the informal sector tax drive would ensure that informal sector entrepreneurs pay their taxes.
He said that at present, the informal sector has not been paying taxes, adding that the flag off will unlock the tax potentials of the informal  sector.
Norte lauded Access Bank Plc for supporting the informal tax drive of the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service with the donation of 10 buses.
He said the buses would be used across the state and added that the Service  was also  in dire need of branded kiosks for point of sales transactions.
He suggested the operation of Treasury Single  Account to optimize revenue generation in the state.
Representative of Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, David Tinad, thanked the  state government for the opportunity to partner on revenue generation.
He assured the Rivers  Government  that Access Bank Plc will continue to support efforts by the  government to improve its revenue base.