The chairman of the Association of local governments of Nigeria (ALGON)Taraba state chapter is canvassing for a holistic review of the federal allocation across the three tiers of government.
Speaking at Sensitization and Advocacy Tour by the officials of the National Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission to the state, Mr Bala Bako called for true federalism where the local governments would not be denied of its constitutional responsibilities.
“Let me say this with due respect if actually, Nigeria is practising true federalism’s. In the sense of true federalism,’ it’s stated that physical federalism revenue would be generated by the component states that is the local government and another tier of government particularly the local government where the revenue points are cited its state that if the local government generate money from the local level certain percentage will be paid to the centre the federal government”
“But the situations in Nigeria is different because we don’t know whether we are practising physical federalism or true federalism in the real sense of it and I want to put it on record that local government should be allowed to generate money so that we keep the larger part of this money at the grassroots where people are populated where the money can be used to take care of the Masses then paid a certain percentage to the federal government and the money pay to the federal coffer will be used for the common interest of the nation,” He said.
The host Ministry of Budget and Planning who spoke through its Commissioner Mr Solomon Elisha said that the interactive will go into history that the sub nationals have the leverage to canvass for a better deal in revenue allocation formulae for the country’s three tiers of government.
Elisha also expressed optimism that the tour would give the sub nationals the opportunity to elicit for more funds to be devolved to them.
“In Taraba State, our amiable Governor has a Rescue Agenda that the administration runs with. This makes service delivery pivoting around it. And for us his foot soldiers we ensure that they are delivered as enshrined in the Agenda document hook, line and sinker. Your sensitization and advocacy tour will afford the state the opportunity to elicit for more funds to be devolved to the sub nationals thus freeing the quantum of resources being held by the federal.” Elisha added.
In his remarks, Dr Chris Akomas Federal Commissioner in charge of Indicies and Disbursement of the commission said that the commission had embarked on advocacy towards the review of indices for sharing of horizontal revenue formula.
Akamas, who was former Deputy Gov. of Abia said that all component units must co-owned the review process.
He decried the level of discrepancies in data from states and local government during revenue allocation.
He said that the commission was determined to establish a uniform figure that would ensure fairness and equitable distribution of revenue.
Governor Darius Ishaku who was represented by the head of service Mrs Suzy Nathan, applauded the commission for given sub nationals opportunity to provide data that will enable it to compute indices for the purpose of disbursement on the horizontal revenue allocation formula between the states and local government councils.
He noted that the commission conducted a similar exercise in 2018 which was not successful due to inadequate information provided by sub nationals.
Ishaku also urged the commission to review the revenue allocation formula to reflect the changing realities.
He, however, called for collaborative efforts by all actors that will make the exercise successful one.
” I am aware that the commission conducted a nationwide data verification exercise in 2018. It is sad to note that, that exercise of collecting, collating and analysis of the data from the sub nationals came to inconclusiveness and therefore could not be used for implementation”
“This was due to but not limited to inadequate information provided by the sub nationals. This made the assignment of the commission a difficult one. ”
The governor, however, directed local governments officials to cooperate with the commission for the success of the exercise
” I am directing all state all actors and the local government council officials especially the Council Chairmen give this one and important sensitization the attention it deserved .you are required to discuss the nature of future data required from this interactive season which will meet the expected requirement of the commission”
” As you are aware, Taraba state is predominantly agrarian in nature. We may be rich in natural and human resources, but these potentials are being trapped and transformed into manifest wealth. This is still a far cry in meeting the yearnings of the citizenry. There is, therefore, every need for the commission to do the needful as they embark on this sensitization tour of states and local government councils in order to fulfil their mandate as empowered by paragraph 32(b) of part 1 to the Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution (as amended) to review from to time the revenue allocation formulae and principles in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities” he added.
He called for collaboration between the Federal Government and the state to tap and transform both the human and natural resources in the state into wealth.
