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.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the military administrator of Rivers State following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly.
The announcement came during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday amid heightened political tension in the oil-rich South-South state.
Tinubu said the suspension would last for an initial period of six months.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff who served from July 2015 to January 2021, will take charge of the state’s affairs.
Tinubu clarified that the judiciary remains unaffected and will continue to function as mandated by the constitution.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state,” Tinubu added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Tinubu made the announcement in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, citing undisclosed reasons for the decision.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Rivers Assembly Accuses Fubara, Deputy Of Gross Misconduct
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” the President stated.
The suspension comes amid ongoing political tensions in Rivers State.
More updates to follow…
In what political watchers perceive as part of efforts to discomfit and scatter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the feeling that its National Working Committee (NWC) antagonises him, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revoked the rights to occupy the land on which the party’s national secretariat, Abuja is sited.
Biztelers reports that Wike’s revocation notice was conveyed in a letter released in Abuja on Tuesday, dated March 13, 2025.
The letter was titled, “Notice of right of occupancy with file no: MISC 81346 in respect of plot no: 243 within central area district, Abuja.”
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The letter was signed by the Director, Land Administration (FTC), Chijioke Nwankwoeze.
Wike, it was gathered predicated his action on the PDP’s failure to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025.
The negligence on the part of the opposition party, the letter claimed was despite many publications in several national dailies and electronic media to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on its property.
The letter read, “I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT and inform you that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 243 within Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from Ist of January 2006 to 1st of January 2025. This is despite the many publications made by the FCT Administration since 2023 in several national dailies and on electronic media requesting all allottees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property.
“You would please note that the said breaches by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) run contrary to the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
There are palpable fears that the PDP’s national secretariat might be demolished or vandalised, sooner than later because Wike added that the FCTA administration would take immediate possession of the party secretariat until all bills are settled.
Tinubu Appoints Vice Admiral Ibas As Rivers Administrator
JUST IN: Tinubu Suspends Fubara, Deputy and Lawmakers
JUST IN: Wike Renders PDP Homeless In Abuja
Explosion Hits Trans-Niger Oil Pipeline In Rivers
Osun Issues Guidelines For Tractor Operations
