AN APPRAISAL OF REVENUE COLLECTION METHODS IN GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENTS
A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL (UNTH)
ABSTRACT
          The intention of the this research work is to analysis the various methods of revenue collection in government establishments and to find out how far these methods of revenue collection achieved the objectives of the organisation, university of Nigeria teaching Hospital Enugu as a case study.
          The research will be carried out through series of oral interviews and distribution of questionnaires, the data that will be collected will be analyzed as well as interpreted by the researcher from the testing and proofing of hypothesis. The researcher will also source information from textbooks, magazines, journals and other related materials.
          The researcher  was faced with the following constraints:
-         Insufficient money to distribute as much questionnaires as possible.
-         Insufficient time.
The problems of the teaching Hospital as it concerns revenue collection are as follows:
-         Decreasing revenue collection.
-         Poor quality of accounting and Revenue staff and
-         Inadequate accounting system.
          Based on that, the researcher made a comprehensive recommendation to help the organisation and in fact any other government establishment for that matter achieve the management set objectives.
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1     Background of the study.                             
1.2     Statement of problems                 
1.3     Objective of the study.                
1.4     The significance of the study         
1.5     Scope and imitations of the study           
1.6     Statement of the Hypothesis                   
1.7     Definition of terms.                                             
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1     Introduction                                  
2.2     Revenue Assessment and collection in the university
          of Nigeria teaching Hospital Enugu    
2.3     Registration and out patient procedures.    
2.4     In-patient Assessment and collection methods   
2.5     Assessment and collection method with respect to                
          patients who died in the Hospital.         
2.6            Revenue collection methods for staff and
          other special cases
2.7     Ministerial Accounting system.     
2.8     Accounting Records kept by university of Nigeria teaching
          teaching Enugu in relation to Revenue collection.     
2.9     Strategies to ensure Effective Revenue collection            
2.10   The role of Internal Audit in enlacing Revenue collection
  CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY         
3.1     Sources of Data.
3.1.1  Primary sources
 3.1.2 Secondary sources.
3.2     Collection methods /instrument.
3.3     Sample Used /Determination of the Sample size.
3.4     Statistical Method Used for Data Analysis -       
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
OF DATA.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS CONCUSSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS        
5.1     Summary of findings
5.2     Conclusions.
5.3     Recommendation
Bibliography       
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A cursory observation at the list of the generally perceived abundant material and human resources that supposedly abound in this country would indicate that in actual sense, Nigeria, as a nation is greatly blessed with a lot of them. Among these abundant natural resources include minerals such as coal, crude oil, lead, tin, sodium chloride, to mention but a few. In addition, a lot of human resources are in existence in all fields of human endeavour, both within Nigeria and overseas. Naturally, as a developing nation, there is the overriding need to effectively harness and utilize these resources if the goals of the nation were to be achieved
      Regrettably, despite these abundant human and material resources that are in existence in Nigeria, most of her citizenry still live in abject poverty; an indication that in parts, these resources have not been properly managed over the years. As a matter of truism, the poor economic situation of Nigeria reached a stage when the federal government had to shift emphasis from external borrowing to local or internal sourcing of revenue for both their capital and recurrent expenditures. This is same for the states and local government council tiers of the government.
Achebe Chinua (1985) in his work- The trouble with Nigeria, said that “he know enough history to realize that civilization does not fall from the sky; it has always been the result of peoples toil and sweat, the fruit of their long search for order and justice under brave and enlightened leaders, maintaining that Nigerians are what they are only because their leaders are not what they should be.
      Revenue collection in the university of Nigeria teaching Hospital, Enugu is the responsibility of the Accounts Department of the Hospital. They are responsible for the recording in financial terms. The day to day transactions of the hospital. These transactions and records mainly related to the receipts and payments, Income and expenditure and assets and liabilities of the hospital and usually cover transactions within a particular month or quarterly or semi- annually within a financial year as may be required. The financial year of the hospital follows the government fiscal year which is from 1st January to 31st  December of every year.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
      Specifically, the research intends to provide answers to the following questions:
1)     Are Accounting records adequately and properly kept  in conformity with the objectives and government and accounting standard?
2)      Who are the accounting staff of the Hospital? And how were they recruited?.
3)       What are the accountability methods or who is accountable for what?
4)     What are the financial implications of the findings and how can its knowledge help to the improvement of revenue collection process in the university of Nigeria teaching Hospital Enugu?
      The study will also examine the hospital as an enterprise and a very big one for that matter. The Head of Accounts department is the Assistant Director finance who has the over all responsibility for the effective running of the department. He reports to the chief executive of the hospital, the chief medical Director.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
      In the study, the researcher intends to trace the extent of contribution of the university of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu in the internally generated revenue of the federal ministry of Health. The study will equally provide answers to the under listed problems of the teaching Hospital as it concerns revenue collection methods.
i)                                            Decreasing revenue collection.
ii)                                          Poor quality of accounting and revenue staff and
iii)                                        Inadequate accounting system.
  1.4 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
      It is hoped that the study will be valuable to the hospital management and in fact, any other government establishment for that matter, to appreciate the deficiency inherent in the methods of revenue collection in our teaching Hospitals. The government following the researcher’s recommendation will modify same to achieve better results. This will in turn save the government huge financial losses. There must be checks and balances otherwise the actors in the accountability process will ignore justice and fairness.
      It is also believed that if the methods are effective in controlling fraud, every Naira collected by the government will be adequately accounted for.
      Finally, this research report will enable students of financial studies especially the accountancy students to have an indepth knowledge of the methods of collecting revenue available to no- profit making organization especially those funded and controlled by the government. It will also help them to understand the audit of government organizations when the government relinquishes such audit over to certified public Accountants.
1.6 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS
      The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study;
i)       Ho: Most of the accounting officers and Revenue clerks at UNTH, Enugu are inexperienced and inadequately qualified for their job.
Hi: Most of the accounting officers and Revenue clerks at UNTH Enugu are experienced and adequately qualified to perform their job.
ii)   Ho: A lot of obstacles militate against its effectiveness.
      Hi: No obstacle militate against its effectiveness.
iii)        Ho: The various methods of revenue collection are not effective towards meeting the organizational objectives of university of Nigeria teaching Hospital Enugu.
            Hi:       The various methods of revenue collection are  effective towards meeting the organizational objectives of university of Nigeria teaching Hospital Enugu.
 1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
i)        Accounting staff: This refers to any person that performs the activities of financial officer irrespective of the person’s rank or designation.
ii)      Revenue clerk: this refers to any person that collects the hospital bills and other fees whether he/she is accounting officer or not.
iii)     Revenue: Means all monies accruing or total annua income generated from hospital bills and charges.