Reps tasks atomic commission on IGR
The House of Representatives Committee on Governmental Affairs has tasked the National Atomic Energy Commission to come up with measures that will make it generate more revenue for government.
The committee, headed by Rep Hussaini Suleiman Kangiwa (APC, Kebbi), said in Abuja during a budget defence session that the government needs more revenue to carry out developmental projects.
The panel, which said it was not very much impressed by the commission’s IGR in 2017, said there are various creative ways that the commission could venture into and make money for government.
“Have you prepared anything for your Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)? I think you should do everything possible to boost your IGR. Government needs money, and I believe you should act fast,” deputy chairman of the committee, Isiaka Ibrahim (APC, Ogun), said.
The chairman of the commission, Prof Simon Mallam, in his response, said the management has already taken measures toward improving its IGR by directing all of its centres to come up with plans.
Similarly, a member of the committee, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa) demanded to know if the commission was up to date in its tax obligations to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Prof. Mallam said the commission is up to date in its tax remittances and that its remits directly through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform.
Another member of the panel, Rep Salisu Koko (APC, Kebbi), sought to know why the commission appeared to have abandoned the project for one of its centres at the University of Maiduguri.
But Mallam said it was not abandoned but that over the years, the budgetary provision for it was not forthcoming and that when it eventually came, the facility had been taken over by the military for use as part of security measures.
“But we’re planning to resume work there soon. We’ll appeal to the university management to talk to the military to vacate the place so that we can resume work,” he said.