~Adimchinobi Onyenso
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The man, Obinna Eze Oriaku needs no much introduction, mostly in the financial firmament as he has carved out a niche for himself in different financial institutions he has transversed given that he has garnered qualitative and quantifiable experiences and exposure that is attributive to his sterling performances.
Little wonder then, having served in the nucleus executive setting of the Ikpeazu administration in September 2015 as a special adviser on economic planning, the professionalism loving Governor having beamed his searchlight on him, deemed it necessary to appoint him commissioner for finance and economic planning in Abia State. Of course, there has been array of commissioners for finance that has headed the Abia finance ministry and thereby making their modest contributions to the ministry nay Abia State.
Presently using all indices, there is no controversy that Mr. Oriaku has stood tall among his peers and contemporaries even in other States. There is no doubt that his Midas touch has given a new savor to the financial operations and rating of the Abia’s financial sector which is the engine of development of any State, Abia not exempted.
His immense contributions and professionalism approach has placed the Governor Ikpeazu’s administration and Abia among the comity of States to reckon with, with respect to astute financial and economic management.
For instance, it will be in record that under the superintendency of Mr. Oriaku, the Abia civil service biometric verification exercise was hatched and implemented, thus unraveling ghost workers and other drain-pipes that fleeced the State of her finances. This particular step of the present administration through the ministry of finance has restored sanity in the Abia civil service system.
As a man that knows his onions, Mr. Oriaku has used his wealth of experience in financial management to boost the financial status and narrative of Abia State. This is made true via the automation of the tax system to grow the independent revenue of Abia State.
It is no gainsaying that since the inception of the Ikpeazu administration and the overseeing of the finance ministry by Mr. Oriaku, there has been unprecedented surge in the IGR of the State proving bookmakers wrong.
Furthermore, with the reforms initiated by Mr. Obinna and the government economic team, payment of pensioners pay packs has been automated in Abia State, a development that have changed the gruesome tradition of paying pensioners through the sub-treasuries with lots of human errors including exclusion of pensioners from the basket, while their monies continued to be signed off.
It is worthy of adulation to state that under Hon. Oriaku, the quintessential financial guru, Abia has ranked low in the debt profile among the comity of States. This is a testament and pointer that financial profligacy and recklessness has become a history.
Another strong indicator that Abia commonwealth is in safe hands is the pass marks given to Abia by ICPC, NANS and other financial watchdogs and agencies on the appropriation, utilization management and disbursement of bailout and Paris funds accrued to Abia State. The frugal financial management of the Abia state earned Abia the position to represent the entire 36 States in an international conference on financial management last year to deliver speech on leadership financial management in Nigeria.
To bring more transparency in the system, Mr. Oriaku has continuously used the media both traditional, conventional and electronic media on routine basis to sensitize the generality of Abians of the Abia financial management.
Mr. Oriaku is articulate and one that takes servant posture in handling the affairs of the cardinal ministry which serves as purveyor of growth and development to the Abia State. It is thus against this backdrop that Governor Ikpeazu must be extolled for putting round pegs in round holes as evident in the appointment of Hon. Oriaku as commissioner for finance who is also a strong believer in the Abia project.
Conclusively, with the positive disposition, focus and expertise which are Mr. Obinna Oriaku’s inherent qualities, discharging his assigned duties to the Abia to the State has been phenomenal. Without any iota of doubt that the ministry is well positioned to spur development-characterized administration of Gov. Ikpeazu as well progressively entrench reforms in the ministry that will perpetuate democratic dividends on God’s Own State.
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