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Tag: RMAFC

  • Buhari sends names of RMAFC Chairman, commissioners to Senate for confirmation

    President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, the names of thirty (30) nominees as Chairman and Commissioners of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said that it was in accordance with the provision of Section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

    He said that the names were conveyed in a letter signed by the President to the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, which asked for expeditious consideration and confirmation of the appointments.

    Read Also: Adamawa SDP rejects NEC’s endorsement of Buhari

    The nominees include Engr. Elias Mbam as Chairman while commissioners are Chris Alozie Akomas, Ayang Sunday Okon, Chima Philip Okafor, Prof. Isa B. Mohammed, Samuel Adaa Maagbe, Ntufam Eyo Nsa Whiley.

    Others members are Mr. Andrew Ogheneovo Agbaga, Barr. Patrick Nworu Mgbebu, Mr. Victor Eboigbe, Amujo Philip Ajayi, Mrs. Maria Chinyere Aniobi, Hon. Musa Tanko Abari, Mohammed Kabeer Usman.

    Also in the list are Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud Gumel, Alh. Kabir Muhammad Mashi, Barr. Umar Farouk Abdullahi, Rilwan Hussein Abarshi, Hon. Suleiman Kokori Abdul, Abdullahi Shuaibu Yaman, Dr. Wright Olusegun Adekunle, Aliyu A. Abdulkadir, Ibrahim Bako Bagudu Shettima, Mr. Fari Adebayo, Mr. Tokunbo Ajasin.

    Other Commissioners are Kolade Daniel Abimbola, Mr. Alexander Shaiyen, Wenah Asondu Temple, Alhaji Modu Aji Juluri, and Abubakar Sadiq A. Gusau.

  • RMAFC workers protest absence of board

    WORKERS of the Revenue Allocation Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) yesterday in Abuja staged a protest to draw attention to the absence of a board, which affects the performance of the agency.

    The protesters, made up of different associations of the agency, appealed to the Federal Government to immediately constitute a board for the agency to enable it carry out its statutory responsibilities.

    Some of the placards carried by the protesters said the absence of the board affected the smooth-running of the agency and its ability to monitor accruals into the Federation Account.

    Chairman, Senior Staff Association of the agency, Mr. Martins Adeoye, said instead of 37 commissioners representing the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the agency had only seven.

    He also said the core functions of the agency were being threatened.

    His words: “As we speak, some other bodies are making efforts to make sure that what ought to be our responsibility is given to consultants and that should not be so as it is an encroachment into our responsibilities.

    “One of our core functions is to carry out oversight functions of the revenue collecting agencies of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Ministry of Finance.

    “We are supposed to collect data from them to ensure that what accrues into the Federation Account is the actual amount, but with poor funding and the few commissioners on ground, how do we do that?

    “We have been receiving letters since the beginning of the year asking us to wake up to our responsibilities.”

    According to him, state commissioners of finance who attend Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting on monthly basis have also asked the organisation to wake up to its responsibilities.

    Adeoye said the absence of a substantive chairman and secretary was also affecting the commission, hence he appealed that the board should be constituted.

    As at the time of this report, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, Head, Public Relations Unit, did not have any comment on the issue, but assured that a statement would be released on the management’s position later in the day.

  • RMAFC recovers N57.7b from ‘stubborn’ banks

    The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) yesterday said it has recovered N57.7 billion unremitted revenues from collecting banks.

    The agency went after collecting banks as part of its efforts to boost revenue accruals into the Federation Account.

    The recovery exercise, it said, followed intensive verification and reconciliation of revenue collections and remittances by collecting banks engaged by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) between July 2012 and December 2015.

    Acting Chairman of the Commission, Umar Abba Gana who spoke with reporters in his office in Abuja, explained that N48.7billion has “already been recovered and remitted into the Federation Account while the remaining balance of N9.07 billion which relates to withholding tax on dividend only has been duly released to the benefitting States Boards of Internal Revenue (SBIR).”

    He also disclosed that in the course of the exercise which is still on-going, the Commission had to seek the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the recoveries following the uncooperative attitude earlier exhibited by some revenue generating agencies and collecting banks.

    He reiterated the Commission’s resolve to follow up on the outstanding balance of N16.4billion liabilities established on “which demand notices were issued to banks but yet to be defrayed.”

    During an earlier exercise covering January, 2008 to June, 2012, RMAFC had announced the recovery of N4.2 billion from the banks promising that more recoveries would be made.

    Buoyed by this success and following the approval of the National Economic Council (NEC), the Commission launched the second phase of the exercise covering July 2012-Dec. 2015 which so far established the sum of N57.7 billion.

  • RMAFC disowns N13.5m running cost for senators

    The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has disowned senators’ N13.5million monthly running cost. RMFAC is the body responsible for fixing public officials’ wages.

    “The payment of running cost is not part of RMAFC mandate. Therefore, only the National Assembly can explain it,” the RMFAC said yesterday.

    Spokesman Ibrahim Mohammed, in a statement in Abuja, said the law on Salaries and Allowances of Public Office Holders is very clear.

    He said only the management of the National Assembly Service Commission could explain the N13.5 million running cost allegedly being enjoyed by each senator.

    According to Mohammed, the Remuneration Act only covers salary and allowances.

    He said the clarification became imperative in view of the recent revelation by Sen. Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central-APC), who was reported to have disclosed to the public that each senator collects monthly N13.5 million as running cost.

    Sani had said that this was in addition to the monthly salary of N750, 000 prescribed by the “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendments) Act 2008.”

    Mohammed said each senators  collects N1.06 million salary and allowances, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The figure consists of the following: Basic-N168,866, motor vehicle fueling and maintenance allowance; and N126,650, Personal Assistant N42,216.

    “Domestic Staff-N126,650, Entertainment-N50,660,Utilities-N50,660, Newspapers/Periodicals-N25,330, Wardrobe -N42,216, House Maintenance –N8,443 and Constituency-N422,166.”

    Some allowances are regular; others are non-regular, Mohammed said.

    “Regular allowances are paid regularly with basic salaries, while non-regular allowances are paid when due.

    “For instance, furniture allowance of N6.079 million and severance gratuity of N6.079 million are paid once every tenure while motor vehicle loan of N8.1 million is optional, which the beneficiary has to offset before leaving office.”

    Mohammed also said auditing did not fall within the commission’s purview.

    He said any other payments being enjoyed by any political or public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration Act of 2008 were not known to the commission.

    He added that the Chief Accounting Officers of the agencies concerned should explain such payments.

    Mohammed advised that Nigerians should avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading citizens and members of the international community.

    He said that they could access the actual details of the remuneration package for Political, Public and Judicial Office holders in Nigeria published on its website: http://www.rmafc.gov.ng, www.rmafc.gov.ng.

  • RMAFC uncovers N115bn tax liabilities against FG, States MDAs

    RMAFC uncovers N115bn tax liabilities against FG, States MDAs

    The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC) has uncovered over N115 billion tax liabilities established against Federal and States’ Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs).

    Also found enmeshed in tax liabilities are Local Government Councils across the nation.

    The RMAFC stumbled on this revelation following tax liabilities recovery exercise carried out by the Commission.

    According to a Press Statement signed by Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, RMAFC’s Spokesperson, “the Commission was able to establish the total sum of N115, 811, 884,454.01 as tax liabilities in the first phase of the exercise covering the period between 2005 and 2015 spread across 30 States of the Federation.”

    Adamawa, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Katsina and Kebbi States were given clean bills of health “as they are bereft of any tax liabilities. At the end of the exercise which is ninety per cent completed, an additional sum of N40 billion is expected” to be realized as tax liabilities against both federal and state MDAs.

    The Statement added that “all the States, LGCs and other Agencies so far covered have passionately pleaded for waiver of penalty and interest totaling N24,030,004,256.31 comprising N9,748,742,417.28 as penalty and N14,281,261,839.03 as interest respectively.”

    Ibrahim Mohammed said that “in the course of the exercise, it was discovered that some Federal Government Agencies domiciled in the States were not remitting Pay As You Earn (PAYE) to the state governments thus depleting their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base.”

    In the same vein, RMAFC also “called on the Federal Government to reimburse some of the State Governments that executed Federal Government projects in their States so as to enhance their revenue profile.”

    The Commission also urged states like Bauchi, Cross River, Edo, Enugu and Rivers which are yet to participate in the exercise to do so in the spirit of equity and fair play since they continue to enjoy the proceeds of tax remitted by their counterparts.

     

  • RMAFC endorses new tax policy

    RMAFC endorses new tax policy

    The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has endorsed the new National Tax Policy announced by the Federal Government.

    The new policy will shore up Nigeria’s dwindling revenue base, which suffered a decline as a result of the shortfall in international oil prices and militancy in the Niger Delta.

    A press statement signed by RMAFC’s spokesperson, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, explained that the Commission remained committed to efforts at boosting government’s revenue.

    The statement read: “The Commission reiterated its support for initiatives such as the newly introduced revised tax policy which would go a long way in boosting the nation’s revenue base for sustainable national development.”

    Commending the Federal Government’s bold and courageous step, the Commission said “globally, taxation was seen as the most stable source of government revenue for economic development, the upward review of the existing Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on luxury items, as contained in the New Tax Policy has buttressed its position.”

    Apart from the upward review of the VAT rate on luxury items, RMAFC also urged the Federal Government to support all monitoring agencies including RMAFC to enhance collection efficiency, block leakages in revenue collection and strengthen intelligence gathering mechanisms so as to free more funds for governments to expand the economy, ensure rapid economic development and create employment.

    The Acting Chairman of RMAFC, Shettima Umar Abba Gana, had in last July canvassed the upward review of VAT from five per cent to about 7.5 per cent in order to improve the country’s revenue base.

  • RMAFC expresses optimism on economy

    The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has expressed optimism on the quick recovery of the economy from the effects of recession.

    It lamented that the prevailing reception “bites harder and negatively impacts on the socio—economic living conditions of the Nigerian populace.”

    A statement from the commission said that the Chairman of RMAFC’s Non-oil Committee, Rev Ajibola Fagboyegun, argued the position on  the side line of the just-concluded National Committee on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED)  in Abeokuta,  the Ogun State capital.

    It said Fagboyegun observed that the current reforms in fiscal and monetary policies would quicken the nation’s economic recovery.

    The statement reads: “The resilience of the Nigerian economy in times of adversity has always returned the nation to the path of economic growth and sustainable development.”

    He commended Finance Minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun for instituting a regime of transparency and accountability in the management of the country’s finances in line with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

  • RMAFC disagrees with Dangote on NLNG, others

    RMAFC disagrees with Dangote on NLNG, others

    The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has disagreed with the proposal of the President, Dangote Group, AlhajiAliko Dangote that the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and other assets of the Federal Government be sold to raise cash to pull the economy out of recession.

    A statement endorsed by its Acting Chairman, Shettima Umar Abba Gana, explained that it would be unwise for the Federal Government to dispose of its crown jewels that generate revenue and keep the Federation Account healthy over the long term.

    The statement recalled that when the government sold petroleum marketing companies, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was forced to establish NNPC Retail Ltd, adding that the revenue derived from the sale of some oil blocks by some international oil companies (IOCs) has not been remitted into the Federation Account.

    Similarly, the Commission noted that the government sold houses meant for ministers and members of the National Assembly as part of the monetisation policy, adding that the Federal Government might be compelled to build houses for political office holders because of rising cost, rent and security concerns.

    Citing the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2013 audit and financial report of the oil and gas industry, RMAFC lamented that  $12.9 billion was received by NNPC from the NLNG in eight years which the corporation did not remit to the Federation Account. The audit, according to the Commission, also revealed that NLNG paid $1.289 billion as dividends in 2013.

    “It is the considered view of the Commission that Nigeria’s assets such as the NLNG and other strategic national resources for that matter should not be sold to meet short-term financial obligation,” RMAFC warned.

    Contrary to the advice given by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, that the government stood to realise $10 billion from the sale of these assets, the Commission said the same amount could be borrowed from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and use the revenue from these same assets to repay the loans over the next 20 years after which the government would still retain the assets and continue to enjoy their regular annual dividend payments.

    The Commission said instead of selling off such vital assets, which generate considerable funds for the federation, wealthy Nigerians should be encouraged to set up their own LNG projects, since Nigeria ranked seventh in the world and first in Africa with natural gas reserves base totalling 188 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) as at May 1, last year.

    In addition, Nigeria’s natural gas is regarded as one of the best in the world as it has low hydrogen sulphide (H2S) or carbon dioxide (Co2) impurity levels, it added.

  • FG approves four oil wells for Lagos

    …To commence payment of 13% derivation fund to state

    The Federal Government on Wednesday announced that four out of the five Aje Oil Wells have been approved for production of crude oil in Lagos.

    The Chairman of the Indices and Disbursement Committee of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, stated this when he led members of the Committee on a courtesy visit to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

    Mohammed said the Committee was in Lagos to verify crude oil and gas production from Aje Oil Wells for the purpose of disbursement of the 13 per cent Derivation Fund to the state in line with the Nigerian Constitution.

    He said the Commission had set-up an Inter-Agency technical Committee comprising of the RMAFC, DPR, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation and the National Boundary Commission to determine the location of the Aje Oil Wells.

    Mohammed said the Technical Committee recommended that for the purpose of the Derivation Fund as spelt out under Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution as well as the provision of the Allocation of Revenue Act 2004, number 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the Aje Oil Wells fall within 200m isobaths and therefore should be attributed to Lagos State.

     

  • Buhari appoints new chiefs for RMAFC, NBET

    Buhari appoints new chiefs for RMAFC, NBET

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a chairman for the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the managing director/chief executive officer for Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

    According to a statement by the Director (Press) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Bolaji Adebiyi, Elias Nwalem Mbam is the new chairman for RMAFC.

    Dr. Marilyn Amobi, the statement said, is the new managing director/chief executive officer of Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

    “Mrs. Amobi’s appointment is for a tenure of four years,” it stated.