Why States, LGAs Deserve Review Of Revenue Allocation – Governor Yahaya
BY WILLIAM ATTAH, GOMBE – Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, has said that the consistent expanding roles of States and Local Governments in the last 29 years has made it mandatory for an upward review of the revenue allocations to the two tiers of governments.
Yahaya, who stated this during a sensitization on the review of the existing revenue allocation formula by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), in Gombe State, noted that over the past decades, the roles of State Governments have expanded while our revenue allocation has remained the same
The Gombe governor also said that there has been so much pressure especially on the State Governments to tackle challenging issues of insecurity, environmental degradation, decaying infrastructure, funding of primary healthcare and basic education.
He further said that as the roles of the States keep expanding, there is the need for a proper review of the allocation formula to ensure that states get the required resources to be able to deliver on new and existing responsibilities.
Yahaya called on the Federal Government to give Gombe State a special consideration just like Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States who have been bedeviled with attacks by insurgents.
He said; “Given the special position of Gombe State at the center of the North-east, we serve as the regional shock-absorber, witnessing the influx of internally displaced persons from front line insurgency states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
“This puts tremendous pressure on our basic infrastructure and services. It is therefore only fair that the special consideration being extended to these 3 states be also extended to Gombe State to enable us deal with new challenges,” he appealed.
Earlier, Federal Commissioner representing Gombe State in the RMAFC, Malam Mohammed Kabiru Usman Kukandaka, said the objective of the sensitization was to enlighten stakeholders on the need to participate and make relevant contributions in the process of the review in order to assist the Commission come up with fair, just, equitable and acceptable revenue formula for the country.
Kukandaka said as a constitutional mandate, RMAFC is saddled with the responsibility of periodic review of the revenue allocation formula and principles in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities.
“In 1992 the vertical share of revenue to be allocated to the three tiers of government as proposed by the RMAFC was as follows: Federal Government 48.5 percent States 24.0, Local percent Governments 20.0 percent, stabilization 0.5, derivation 1 percent, FCT 1 percent, development of mineral resource areas 3 percent ecology 2 percent,” he said.
