In a recent meeting between the management of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, it was confirmed that the 10th National Assembly is fully dedicated to empowering the RMAFC to effectively carry out its statutory mandates.
The meeting took place during a courtesy call to Speaker Abbas at his office in Abuja on Tuesday. The Chairman of the RMAFC, Mohammed Bello Shehu, led the Federal Commissioners and other top management staff in this significant visit. Notably, the Speaker was accompanied by prominent House members, including the Majority Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere; Minority Leader, Hon Kingsley Chinda; Deputy Majority Whip, Hon Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga; Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki; Minority Whip, Hon Ali Isa; and Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen expressed his deep concern over the challenges the commission has been facing, such as inadequate funding and infrastructure. He emphasized his familiarity with the RMAFC, having been a member of the House Committee on Finance for eight years, from 2011 to 2019. The Speaker also reaffirmed his commitment to providing the commission with additional powers and support during the 10th National Assembly.
In his words, the Speaker stressed the imperative role of the parliament in assisting the Commission. “One thing that you can take away from this meeting is that the National Assembly, this time around, will make the difference that you require,” he assured.
The Chairman of the RMAFC, Mohammed Bello Shehu, congratulated Speaker Abbas on his emergence on June 13, 2023, highlighting that the Speaker had consistently been one of the Commission’s greatest advocates. He also emphasized the need for a review of the Act that establishes the Commission, aimed at granting it more empowerment and independence. The Chairman noted, “We need enforcement powers, better independence, better funding. We lack the funds to do the things that are mandated for us to do as a Commission.”
This commitment by the 10th National Assembly to empower the RMAFC is poised to have a significant impact on the Commission’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities effectively and contribute to the country’s fiscal and economic development.
