The Role Of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in Fostering Financial Accountability and Discipline in Federal Universities in South East Nigeria

Abstract

The thrust of this research study is to examine the role of treasury single account (TSA) in fostering financial accountability and discipline in Federal Universities in South East Nigeria. Specifically the study is designed to investigate the roles of TSA in transparent revenue collection in federal universities in South East Nigeria; ascertain the roles of TSA in equitable payment disbursement in Federal Universities in South East Nigeria. This study was carried out five federal universities in south East Nigeria (these include; University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI),  Alex  Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), the study employed survey research design, 6,782 employees of the five federal universities in South East served as the population for the study. A sample size of 378 Respondents was drawn using Taro Yamane Sampling Techniques. The instrument for data collected is a structured questionnaire designed by the researcher;   data elicited from the respondents were analyzed using simple percentage, while the hypotheses were at 0.05 level of significance using chi square statistical tool. The findings of the study revealed that TSA play positive significant role in transparent revenue collection; TSA has positive significant effect in equitable payment disbursement in Federal Universities in South East Nigeria. Based on the findings the following recommendations were made; the government and stakeholders should ensure strict adherence to TSA policy in Federal universities in order to foster financial accountability and discipline in Tertiary Institution, TSA should be used as an effective weapon against embezzlement of public fund by efficiently tracking down the institutions’ expenditures.