Nigeria Content Online

Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomhole, has criticized the revenue sharing formula existing
between the federal, state and local governments, saying there is the
need for a revisit of the formula in the interest of justice and
equity.

The call was made
yesterday in Benin during the visit of a delegation from the National
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to the
state Government House.

Secretary to the
State Government, Pally Iriase, who represented Mr Oshiomhole, told the
delegation that a situation where the federal government gets more than
half of the resources generated by the states is unhealthy. “Let me say
that on a general note, the states are really finding it difficult to
cope. A situation where the centre is sitting on more than half of the
resources generated from the state, whereas the states are sentenced to
perpetual penury, does not augur well for true federalism,” he said.

“For a long time,
everybody had been watching with trepidation, how the federal
government with the active connivance of the fiscal revenue commission,
refused to allow the enactment of a proper revenue allocation formula.”

Meeting obligations

Mr Iriase said the
state government has beefed up its internally generated revenue by
about 400 per cent to enable the government meet its obligations to the
people.

He told the
delegation that the government was passionate about its oil wells,
while saying that it would not cede any of its oil wells. It urged the
Commission to maintain the status quo.

Leader of the
delegation, Abudulai Magwa, Director of Allocation in the National
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, had earlier
assured that the commission stands for equity, justice and fairness.

He commended the state government for its Internally Generated
Revenue drive, saying the present revenue formula is scientifically
determined.