TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT AND UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1        Background of the Study
Several policies and strategies have been put in place by previous administrations on how to ensure effective and efficient Management of Public Finances in Nigeria but to no avail. The adoption of a Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the federal and some state governments is seen by many as aimed at plugging loopholes in the Nigerian Financial System. A TSA is a unified structure of government bank accounts enabling consolidation and optimal utilization of government cash resources. It is a bank account or a set of linked bank accounts through which the government transacts all its receipts and payments and gets a consolidated view of its cash position at any given time. This presidential directive would end the previous public accounting situation of several fragmented accounts for government revenues, incomes and receipts, which in the recent past has meant the loss or leakages of legitimate income meant for the federation account. According to the Otunla (2015), the new Electronic Revenue Collection (ERC) platform is aimed at improving internally generated revenue in the face of declining oil prices. This, he said, was in line with a series of treasury reforms, which began in 2012, aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of the nation’s finances.
Federal establishments affected by this directive include all fully funded organs of government, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), foreign missions and partially funded government establishments like teaching hospitals, medical centers and tertiary institutions (Otunla, 2015). Others include the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The list of affected organs also has National Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), National Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), amongst others. (Guadian Editorial,2015). This study is therefore designed to investigate the extent to which TSA has contributed in effective cash management in University administration.
1.2    Statement of the Problem
Government sees Treasury Single Account as a useful tool to establish centralized control over its revenue through effective cash management. It enhances accountability and enables government to know how much is accruing to its accounts on a daily basis. In Nigeria, it is expected that the implementation of TSA will help tame the tide of corruption of financial leakages and embezzlement. The implementation of Single Treasury Account (TSA) is expected to block revenue leakages within the government parastatals as the Ministry of Finance will be able to monitor the inflows and outflows, hence, augment the reduction in oil revenue due to falling oil prices. CBN (2015) in the same vein stated that the implementation of TSA will enable the Ministry of Finance to monitor fund flow as no agency of government is allowed to maintain any operational bank account outside the oversight of the ministry of finance. They believe that the implementation of the TSA will have a positive effect on the national economic planning, swift & full budgetary implementation; reduce leakages and other irregularities in the MDAs, aid appropriate planning, data collection, analysis and timely aggregation of Federal Government Revenue. Realization of the government revenue on time causes its effective allocation. This study is therefore designed to seek the effect of TSA on the University Administration. Universities are part of the ministry of education in Nigeria which is affected by the TSA directive. However, it is not known if there is a relationship between TSA and University Administration.  Hence, the study is designed to ascertain the extent of relationship between the TSA and University administration.
1.3        Research Questions
1.        What is the relationship between management of university’s current expenditure and TSA?
2.        What is the impact of TSA on University’s capital expenditure?
3.        What is the relationship between University’s liquidity and TSA?
4.        What is the relationship between University’s employment rate and TSA?
1.4        Research Objectives
Following the research questions, the objectives of the study will be:
1.    To determine the relationship between management of university’s current expenditure and TSA
2.    To examine the impact TSA has on University’s capital expenditure
3.    To ascertain the relationship between University’s liquidity and TSA
4.    To determine the relationship between University’s employment rate and TSA
1.5        Research Hypothesis
The hypotheses that will be tested in this study are as follows:
HO1:   There is no relationship between the management of university current expenditure and TSA
HA1:   There is a relationship between the management of university current expenditure and TSA
HO2:     Treasury Single Account does not have a significant impact on University’s capital expenditure
HA2:     Treasury Single Account has a significant impact on University’s capital expenditure
HO3:     There is no relationship between University’s liquidity and TSA implementation
HA3:     There is a relationship between University’s liquidity and TSA implementation
HO4:     There is no relationship between University’s employment rate and TSA
HA4:     There is a relationship between University’s employment rate and TSA
1.6     Scope of the Study
This study would be restricted to University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. This study would cover top management and middle management in the university. The study will also cover TSA with regards to its effect on current expenditure, capital expenditure and liquidity.
1.7     Significance of the Study
The TSA directive is one that must not be reckoned with which is vital to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Thus, it is essential to known if this directive affects university administration in anyway in order to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency in the administration of the university. This study would also seek to determine how this TSA can enhance transparency, accountability and proper management of government funds.
1.8     Limitation to the Study
This study is limited to hundred (100) top and middle management staff of University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria to allow for easy data gathering. The study is restricted to TSA with regards to its effect on some selected variables such as current expenditure, capital expenditure and liquidity. This study is also limited to responses to be gotten from the respondents owing to the fact that not all top and middle management staff will be available to fill the questionnaire appropriately.