WorldStage Newsonline– The Federal Government of Nigeria on Thursday urged members of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to come up with fresh ideas on how best to improve the nation’s revenue from the non-oil sector
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, gave the charge when he fielded questions from State House correspondents shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari administered oath of office on six new members of the RMAFC.
The new members include Ahmed Yusuf (Taraba); Gboyega Oladele (Osun); Bello Wamakko (Sokoto), AlhajiAdamu Dibai (Borno); Alfred Egba (Bayelsa) and Hajiya Salamatu Bala from Adamawa.
Mustapha urged the Commission to rise up to its responsibilities as the country faces serious financial challenges occasioned by the negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.
He said: “The RMAFC is very critical, particularly now that we have very serious shortfall in our earnings.
“The essence of the revenue mobilisation is to look at the non-oil sector, particularly in terms of mobilising revenue for the country.
“I believe that now that they have full complement of their membership, they should be able to give it the necessary drive.’’
Mustapha also called on the newly inaugurated Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Muheeba Danbaba, and the 36 other members, to work hard towards galvanising the activities of government so as to give a sense of belonging to all citizens.
The SGF also tasked members of the FCC to ensure equitable distribution of offices and other amenities.
“We are notching towards the end of the President’s tenure; we have just spent a year and we have three years to go but there are so many things that we want them to begin to do in terms of re-energising the system.
“The Federal Character Commission’s responsibilities in the constitution are very fundamental to ensure equitable distribution of not only offices, but amenities, benefits and welfare to the people of the country,’’ he said.
Mustapha tasked the new members of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to use their wealth of experience in transforming the civil service to a greater height.
“The FCSC is an institution that has the responsibility of looking at the federal civil service in terms of employment, promotion and capacity; we need a new civil service to take us to the next level,’’ he said.
Also fielding questions from State House correspondents, one of the new members of the RMAFC, Gboyega Oladele from Osun, commended the president for the opportunity to serve the country.
Oladele pledged that members would do their best in carrying out the assignments given to them by the president.
He said: “I’m pleased to be nominated by the President and I want to assure him and indeed every Nigerian that we are going to do our job to the best of our ability.
“We will carry out our mandate, that of the President and the mandate of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria more effectively and judiciously.’’
The 36 members of the FCC included Henry Ogbulogo (Abia), Salihu Bello (Adamawa), Dorah Daniel (Akwa-Ibom), Ibeabuchi Uche, (Anambra), Mohammed Tijjani, (Bauchi), Tonye Okio (Bayelsa) and Silas Macikpah (Benue).
Others were Abba Ali Monguno (Borno), Nsor Atamgba (Cross River), Moses Anaughe (Delta), Chief George Ossi (Ebonyi), Imuetinyan Festus (Edo), Sesan Fatoba (Ekiti), Ginika Tor (Enugu), Hamza Mohammed (Gombe), Diogu Uche (Imo), and Lawan Ya’u Roni (Jigawa).
Also swore-in were Hadiza Muazu (Kaduna), Mohammed Na’iya (Kano), Lawal Garba (Katsina), Abubakar Atiku Bunu (Kebbi), Idris Bello (Kogi), Abdul Wasiu Bawa-Allah (Lagos), Alakayi Toro Mamman (Nasarawa), and Suleiman Barau (Niger).
Others swore-in were Abiodun Akinlade (Ogun), Olufemi Omosanya (Ondo), Adeoye Olalekan (Osun) Adeniyi Olowofela (Oyo), Stephen Jings (Plateau) and Wokocha Augustine (Rivers).
The rest were Abdullahi Tafida (Sokoto), Alhaji Armaya’u Abubakar (Taraba), Jibril Maigari (Yobe), Sani Garba (Zamfara) and Adamu Sidi-Ali (Federal Capital Territory).
