NEWS
How RMAFC Recovered Over N500bn For FG
It has come to light that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) recovered in excess of N500 billion for the Federal Government from corporates, including some government-owned institutions.
Chairman, RMAFC, Mohammed Bello, made the disclosure in Abuja, on Wednesday at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, chaired by Hon James Faleke.
According to Bello, the Commission engaged forensic experts through whom it recovered the sum of N14bn between 2008 and 2012.
Between 2012 and 2015, he explained that the Commission recovered the sum of N60.981bn for the FG.
The scoop, however, was made between 2016 and 2019, with the recovery of over N312bn, though the payment was made in the 2022 fiscal year.
Bello also disclosed that the RMAFC recovered the sum of N98bn in September 2023 from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which has been fully remitted to the national coffers.
The Commission, Bello, explained, also recovered the sum of N79.102bn from Federal and eight State Ministries, Departments and Agencies in 2023.
These, he disclosed has encouraged the Commission to expand its operations to 17 more states of the Federation in a bid to recover more revenue for the FG.
The Committee also heard him declare that the Commission recovered the sum of N474 million and N199 million excise duties from two companies operating in the South West region from 2020 to 2022.
Bello pointed out that before 2011, revenues accruing from royalties and solid minerals were remitted into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The RMAFC boss informed the Committee that it took the it took painstaking efforts from the Commission to create the solid mineral component of the Federation Account, in November 2011.
That consequently led to the approval of a 13 percent derivative fund for States and Local Government Areas, now being apportioned according to the formula adopted.
The efforts of the Commission, also led to the approval of a 10 percent monthly payment from the Natural Resources Development Fund (NRDF), of which 1.68 percent is deducted and kept aside.
He informed the Committee that the Muhammadu Buhari administration approved the sum of N30bn for the NRDF, which is dedicated to the growth of the sector.
Hon Faleke decried the several loopholes through which the FG has been losing money and expressed a desire that the salary burden of all RMAFC Commissioners be borne by the Federation Account.
He charged Bello to revert to the Committee with concrete reports, evidencing which government agencies were culpable, though he didn’t foresee the possibility of real recovery.
He said, “As far as this committee is concerned, all those things you read out are no news. All those figures you read out are mere figures. You have no data or whatsoever to support it.”
Consequently, he directed the RMAFC chairman to provide a comprehensive report of all the agencies from which the unremitted revenues were recovered.
“If you say in 2008 and 2012, you recovered N14 billion, from where? Which agency paid? We need a comprehensive list.
“For you to get back to an agency and say you owe us $10 or N10 million, where will they get the money to pay back? When you accuse them, it means they have spent that money. So, for them to pay back, they also use government money to pay you back.
“You will give details of these recoveries, the N16.9 billion, your N312 billion, among others. We need more details.”
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.