The International Institute of Experts on political economy and administration has commend president Bola Ahmed Tinubu policies warn some states actors against scraping federal agencies
Executive Vice President, Africa Affairs International Institute of Experts on Political Economy and Administration Prof. Tunji John Asaolu, stated this during a press conference in Abuja, yesterday
He said, most states in Nigeria survive mainly on federal allocation to run its affairs as Internally Generated Revenue in most non-oil producing States are not sufficient enough to complement the federal government efforts in improving the States infrastructure and social development.
He highlighted that in the Lottery sector, about 21 States Attorney General are in the Supreme Court seeking the apex court to scrap the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and the Nigeria Lottery Trust Fund while 16 States believe that the federal government should continue to collect the revenue since it is been shared among the 36 Sates and the FCT on monthly bases.
“This are agencies of the federal government with over 20,000 staffs under the pay roll. The act of the national assembly empowered the commission to regulate the betting and gaming sector while the Trust Fund is to collect all the relevant revenue due to the federal government of Nigeria and utilize same to the benefit of Nigerians.”
“It is worthy of note that, over the years, lottery operators have deliberately surcharge the federal government by refusing to remitte the due revenue of 27.5 and 25 % to the government respectively, hence the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has taken the bull by the horn in automating the revenue sector of the lottery industry.”
This is an opportunity that will harness the huge revenue in the betting and gaming sector which shall improve the revenue base of the Country.
The operators of the lottery industry are not Nigerians, for example, BetNaija is owned by the Russian government, Ghana games is owned by the Ghanaian government, Baba Ijebu is owned by the Australian government just to mention but a few.
The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is poised to increase the revenue base of the Country through the lottery sector. There is a rumor that, the lottery operators have mobilized themselves with over 200 Billion Naira currently camped in Rwanda. They are planning to route it to Nigeria through Flutterwave with the sole aim to compromise some judicial workers ahead of the reserved judgment by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
He said, the Justices of the Supreme Court are people of integrity who will not give in to their antics but rather stand with the government of the federal republic of Nigeria. We have realized that, the lottery operators are the sponsors of the 21 State governments challenging the federal for collecting lottery revenue.
They feared that, the federal government regulating the sector is not allowing them free access as EFCC is closing on them day by day, thereby they instigated some State government to file and demand for the scraping of these federal agencies which will enable them to surcharge Nigeria the more.
“The Government of Kogi State along with other States are also calling for the scraping of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Just like the National Lottery Regulatory commission and the Nigeria Lottery Trust Fund, EFCC has recovered hundreds of billions of naira for the federal government.”
Our institute has confidence on the Nigerian judiciary to handle cases including this very one on its merit, as public interest is always above personal sentiment. Nigeria Judges are highly competent and professional especially at the Supreme Court. “
