ANAMBRA CENTRALISES REVENUE COLLECTION, PROHIBITS MDAS FROM OPERATING BANK ACCOUNTS

By MaryAnn Chukwuma
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‎ The Anambra State Government has prohibited all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from operating independent revenue bank accounts, directing the immediate transfer of all revenue collection and existing accounts to the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS). The directive was contained in a circular issued on Monday, May 4, 2026, by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Okafor Izuchukwu, with the approval of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
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‎According to the Commissioner, the measure is in line with the constitutional mandate of the Ministry of Finance to coordinate fiscal policies and forms part of the ongoing restructuring of the State’s Revenue Service. The circular outlined five key directives, which take immediate effect:
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‎”All MDAs are prohibited from operating revenue bank accounts with any commercial bank within or outside Anambra State. Existing accounts must be transferred to AIRS as sole signatories, with the exception of accounts maintained by the Office of the Accountant-General. A list of all accounts transferred to AIRS must be submitted to the Office of the Commissioner for Finance within five working days”.
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‎”All previous and existing consultancies or contracts relating to revenue collection are hereby cancelled. Henceforth, every revenue consultancy or contract must receive written approval from the Governor. All revenue rates must be government-approved, and the imposition of arbitrary rates is criminalised under the circular”.
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‎The circular further stated that violation of any of the directives will be treated as fraud and will attract full legal consequences.
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‎”Any commercial bank within or outside the state that opens or maintains a revenue account for an MDA in contravention of the directive will be deemed to have conspired to defraud the Anambra State Government. Banks are required to submit lists of all revenue accounts not bearing the signature of the Accountant-General to the Commissioner for Finance within five working days”.
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‎”Heads of MDAs and Permanent Secretaries/Senior Officers will be held responsible for strict compliance with the directives, and will face material consequences for any breach”, the circular warned.
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‎MaryAnn is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
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