By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to submit to the National Assembly, report of the Revenue Mobilsation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) upon which revenue sharing to the tiers of government is based.
The House equally directed its committee on Finance to invite Chairman of RMAFC and its commissioners to appear, and give further explanations on the development further, and report back its findings within Four weeks.
The House demand was as the result of the motion by the Minority Leader of the Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, who drew attention of members to fact that revenue sharing proposals have been sent to the President countless times and yet none of this proposals have ever been brought to the National Assembly for legislative approval as required by law.
Elumelu in the motion he titled; “Need for the Federal Government to Submit the Report of the Revenue Mobilization allocation and Fiscal Commission to The National Assembly”, noted that Section 162 (2) of the 1999 constitution as amended explicitly provides that the President shall after receiving the report of the commission, forward same to the National Assembly.
The said provision reads; “The President, upon the receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles especially those of population, equality of States, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density; Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than thirteen percent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources”.
He said revenue sharing was one of the key issues that is vital to resolving the sharing formula debate, and true fiscal federalism, adding that the continuous disregard for this constitution pal provision, upsets national peace and creates fiscal inequity.
“Note that Section 162 (2) of the 1999 constitution as amended explicitly provides that the President shall after receiving the report of the commission should forward same to the National Assembly.
“Aware that revenue sharing proposals have been sent to the President countless times and yet none of this proposals have ever been brought to the National Assembly for legislative approval.
“Further aware that Revenue sharing is one of the key issues that is vital to resolving the sharing formula issues, and true fiscal federalism.
“Concerned that the continuous disregard for this constitution provision, upsets national peace and creates fiscal inequity”
