RMAFC Members Urge Financial Autonomy as Tenure Ends
By Patience Ikpeme
The tenure of twenty members of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) came to an end on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
During a valedictory plenary held in their honour, the outgoing members highlighted the urgent need for better funding and support for a bill currently before the Senate aimed at granting the organization financial autonomy. They believe this measure is essential for the commission to effectively fulfill its mandate.
Honourable Samuel Adaa Magbe, representing Benue State, underscored the challenges the commission faces due to inadequate funding. “The Commission is not well-funded. There is a lot of low morale among the staff because when you go out to monitor the activities of FIRS, the Central Bank, and so on, you see that there is a wide disparity between us and them. But I hope that the President will address this issue so that the Commission can move forward,” he said.
Honourable Adebayo Fari, representing Ogun State, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for both adequate funding and human capital development. “One of the major challenges here is the funding of the organization. Additionally, we have the issue of human capital. While there have been efforts under the leadership of M.B. Shehu to enhance training, we still need to recruit more professionals in accounting, statistics, economics, and tax administration,” Fari stated.
Honourable Modu Ali Juluri, representing Yobe State, stressed that RMAFC should be treated as a federation agency rather than a federal government agency. “RMAFC is a national commission that all tiers of government—federal, states, and local governments—should be interested in. The government should first digitalize RMAFC and ensure it is well-funded to carry out its activities,” he remarked.
The outgoing members commended Chairman Muhammed Bello Shehu for the achievements recorded under his leadership. These achievements include recommendations on the review of salaries for ambassadors and some political office holders, work on the review of the Federal Allocation Formula, staff training, and improvements in the general condition of the office.
RMAFC Chairman Muhammed Bello Shehu praised the outgoing members for their dedication to nation-building and efforts to elevate the commission to world-class standards. Speaking at the event, Shehu noted the commission’s continuous efforts to reposition itself, stating, “It has been our wish to reposition this Commission to become a world-class Revenue Mobilisation Commission since we came here. We are still a work in progress, we have tried, we are trying, and we will continue to try.”
Shehu acknowledged the support provided by the members through their contributions to various committees, despite the Commission’s limited funding. He expressed hopes that they would be reappointed to continue supporting the commission. “I pray to God to reward them for their sacrifices and wish that they would be reappointed so that they could continue to support the Commission,” he said.
The Secretary to the Commission, Nwaze Joseph Okechukwu, described the tenure of the outgoing commissioners as worthwhile, noting their significant contributions to the national assignment. He wished them success in their future endeavors.
The twenty outgoing members are: Dr. Chris Alonzie Akomas (Abia State), Anyang Sunday Okon (Akwa Ibom State), Chima Philip Okafor (Anambra State), Maagbe Samuel Adaa (Benue State), Ntufam Eyo-NSA Whiley (Cross River State), Mr. Andrew Ogheneovo Agbaga (Delta State), Barr. Patrick Nworu Mgbebu (Ebonyi State), Mr. Victor Eboigbe (Edo State), Amujo Phillip Ajayi (Ekiti State), and Mohammed Kabeer Usman (Gombe State).
Others are: Kabir Muhammad Mashi (Katsina State), Barr. Umaru Faruk Abdullahi (Kano State), Prof. Olusegun Adekunle Wright (Lagos State), Aliyu Almakura Abdulkadir (Nasarawa State), Ibrahim Bako Bagudu Shettima (Niger State), Adebayo Adeniyi Fari (Ogun State), Mr. Olatokumbo Ajasin (Ondo State), Alexander Shaiyen (Plateau State), Modu-Aji Juluri (Yobe State), and Abubakar Sadiq Abdulkarim Gusau (Zamfara State).
The members were appointed on June 26, 2019, for a tenure of five years, which concluded on June 26, 2024.
