How Gov. Otti’s Digital Reforms Are Blocking Revenue Leakages in Abia – Dr Pastra Etie

Dr Pastra Arinze Etie, Group Managing Director of BemsSoft and Abia State’s SuperAgent for Revenue Collection, commended Governor Alex Otti for his efforts to eliminate decades of revenue leakages. He praised Otti for dismantling revenue scavengers, integrating a comprehensive revenue optimisation technology, and revolutionising revenue collection across the state.

During a working visit to the Patent Medicine Dealers Association in Umuahia North, Dr Etie informed business owners about Abia’s new, transparent, and fully automated revenue framework.

He stated that Governor Otti’s leadership has demonstrated that the state’s prolonged underdevelopment was primarily due to poor leadership.

“Historically, in the era of “sold” manual revenue collection, out of 100% of revenue collected, only about 20% made it to the coffers of the Abia State Government, while the rest was siphoned off into private pockets. However, Governor Otti’s Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) is putting an end to this with technology,” said Dr Etie.

He explained that the Otti administration is working towards a fully automated revenue collection process, eliminating human scavengers, cash handling, and harassment by task forces.
With the new digital system, all payments are made exclusively online using digital methods, such as credit cards, USSD, and instant transfers. This provides instant notifications and E-receipts for every transaction, which can be easily tracked.

“The system tracks every transaction from start to finish. It monitors when a demand notice is issued, when a trader is serviced, and when payment is completed. This level of technological advancement is what the governor is introducing for revenue management in Abia State,” Dr Etie added.

He emphasised that cash payments are now prohibited, ensuring that all revenue generated goes directly into the Abia State Government’s account seamlessly.

In a significant relief for business owners, Dr Etie announced that Governor Otti has abolished the era of multiple demand notices from different agencies.

“All revenue—whether from Local Government, State Government, or Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs)—now falls under one consolidated demand notice, served electronically. Once a payment is made, businesses owe no further payment to any other agency, improving the ease of doing business in Abia. This digital innovative initiative of the Executive Governor is effectively being implemented by the Executive Chairman of BIR, Prof. Udochukwu Ogbonna, and the Special Adviser on Internal Generated Revenue, Dr Emmanuel Okpechi,” he stated.

The visit was part of ongoing efforts to harmonise revenue processes, educate businesses, and garner support for Governor Alex Otti’s transformative governance model, which has already accelerated road construction, infrastructure renewal, and improved service delivery across the state.

Under Dr Alex Otti’s leadership, Abia State is at the forefront of digitalising all government processes, paving the way for local businesses and technology to take centre stage globally.