…Says number now condition to access social benefits
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government says it will on Saturday, March 2, 2024, re-launch the Abia State Social Identification Number (ABSSIN), an initiative of Government aimed at enhancing social protection and inclusion of the citizenry.
This is as Government has said that ABSSIN number has become a condition for citizens and residents to access social benefits including scholarships.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu; his Budget and Planning counterpart, Kingsley Anosike; and the Chairman, Abia State Internal Revenue Services, ABIRS, Professor Udochukwu Ogbonna, disclosed this during a pre-launch press briefing in Umuahia.
They said the initiative would help Government know the actual number of residents in the state, and would also form a reliable data base for social register.
According to them, ABSSIN number will, henceforth, be required for every transaction any resident makes in the state.
They noted that before now, ABSSIN was only for taxation, but has become a condition for access to social register and other benefits.
“Registration is free for all residents, and does not have age limit,” they said, adding that registration could be done at ABIRS office in any local government, and ministries.
They said plans were under way to incorporate hospitals as registration centres so that children could be captured at the point of death.
The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Anosike said the initiative would serve as data for economic planning.
He said: “With this initiative, the focus of the government to make sure that many people, not just citizens of Abia but all those who reside in Abia. Those who live here and pay their taxes here will be able to register, and once you register, all your information situated in that platform becomes easier to reach you, whether it is for emergency, whatever it is.”
Contributing, the BIRS boss, Professor Ogbonna, said described the ABSSIN number as the account number of every citizen in the state.
Prof. Ogbonna, who highlighted the benefits of ABSSIN, said it would also help improve security as it would provide information about residents, what they do and where they live.
He further said it would help eliminate double taxation as it would provide information about a residents tax history.
“When you are paying your tax you are supposed to quote this number. What that means is that every transaction you are doing in the state will come under one account, that is to say that ABSSN is the account number of every citizen in Abia State. ABSSIN is not only for tax payment, it will help you to have access to certain benefits that is coming from government which include scholarship.”
Professor Ogbonna also said that registration could be done online using Abiapay online.
Adding his voice, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Mr Chimeremeze Okigbo, encouraged residents to embrace the initiative.
Emphasising that Government wants to be intentional about economic planning, Okigbo said that ABSSIN would help revolutionalise revenue generation as well as physical security of residents.
