Expert wants improved funding to LGs as RMAFC inaugurates c’ttees

As the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) yesterday inaugurated 12 committees to among other things look at possible ways to review revenue sharing formula to the federal, states and local governments, an economic expert has advocated for better funding of the local governments.

The RMAFC Chairman Mr Elias Mbam inaugurated the 12 committees yesterday and charged them to heed President Buhari’s earlier directive that the Commission should review the revenue sharing formula and also look for ways to expand the revenue profile of the country, especially non-oil resources like solid minerals.

The 12 committees formed are the Indices and Disbursement Committee, Federal Allocation Account Committee, Crude Oil Monitoring Committee, Inland Revenue Monitoring Committee and the Revenue Allocation Formula Committee.

Also, the committees on Customs Revenue Monitoring, Solid Minerals Monitoring, Remuneration and Monetisation, Fiscal Efficiency and Budget, Mobilisation and Diversification as well as investment committee were set up.

Commenting, Mr. Niyi Akinsiju, an economist and investment expert, said “I’m looking at the situation where local governments can be given more because they are the ones closest to the people. We can also increase the threshold for the local government.”

“The truth of the matter is the local government is the closest government to the majority of the people. I think more capacity should be built at the local government level, in terms of funding, in terms of expertise. There are millions of Nigerians at that level that are not even interested in going from their local government to even their state capital let alone come to Abuja” he noted.

He also said due to the huge constitutional responsibilities at the federal level, the FG should still earn higher.

“If we are talking about road construction, the FG has more mileage in terms of roads to contend with. Talking about rail, the FG has exclusive responsibility to build railways. We also have sports, tertiary institutions and so many responsibilities. There is no way we can ignore that. We will have to align the revenue allocation to the provision of the law that has apportioned so much to the FG,” he advised.