Comfort Isaac
Vice President Kashim Shettima has asked staff members of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to uphold the principles of transparency, equity and service excellence in the discharge of their duties.
The Vice President gave the advice in his keynote address at the 2025 Retreat for the newly inaugurated members of RMAFC at a retreat in Uyo. The themed is of the retreat is “Understanding the Role of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and Other Stakeholders/Agencies in Nation Building.”
Represented by his technical adviser on public debt management and revenue mobilization, Mr Ibrahim Natagwandu, the Vice president reminded them that they are custodians of a system that ensures equity among the three tiers of government and promotes fiscal balance across the federation.
He stated the federal government’s move in implementing targeted interventions to stabilise the economy, optimize revenue generation through improved tax systems, expand opportunities, and improve the quality of life for all Nigerians; and urged the newly inaugurated members to come up with innovative strategies that will redefine Nigeria’s fiscal future.
His words, “I urge the Members and staff of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to rededicate themselves to the aspirations of the government and the people, by upholding the principles of transparency, equity, and service excellence in the discharge of their duties.”
Also speaking, Akwa Ibom State governor and host, Pastor Umo Eno appealed to the commission to look into the area of computation of oil revenue remittances and all the indices as they affect the 13 percent oil derivation funds for oil producing states.
He acknowledged the efforts of the commission so far and encouraged them to do more in that regards, saying, ” we know you are doing well but you can do more because as the goose that lays the golden egg we should not suffer and we believe that this commission will rise to the occasion.”
Eno assured of the State’s readiness to partner with the commission as it carries out its onerous task in fairness, equity and transparency. He also showed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for some of the bold steps he has taken to rejig Nigeria’s economy saying though the steps were misunderstood at the beginning, they were for the good of the people and had helped the states.
In his goodwill message, Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak said NGF has strengthened data systems across states to improve their internally generated revenue (IGR).
He added that such reforms by NGF were aimed at
reducing over-reliance on federal allocations and increasing their IGR.
In his address, Chairman, RMAFC, Mohammed Shehu said the appointment of the newly inaugurated members was not only a call to service but requires integrity, patriotism and excellence stressing that their role was pivotal to ensuring that fiscal federalism is not just a constitutional ideal but functional mechanism for unity and development.
The chairman revealed that the commission has reached an advanced stage in the process of coming out with a new revenue allocation formula and remuneration package for political and public office holders.
He also said the commission has started the process of carrying out the next phase of the reconciliation and verification of revenue collections from Revenue Collecting Agencies in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS,) Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as such is a continuous exercise by the Commission.
Shehu announced the Commission’s commitments in supporting and promoting diversification programmes of the Three Tiers of Government even as he expressed willingness to work with all stakeholders to ensure fiscal wellbeing of the nation.
