Vice President Kashim Shettima, has underscored the importance of efficiency and fiscal transparency in financial management of the nation’s resources and charged the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to take the lead in the ongoing economic reforms by the President Bola Tinubu -led federal government.
Speaking at the 2025 RMAFC Retreat for newly appointed federal commissioners at Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resorts Monday, in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Shettima, who was represented by his Technical Adviser on Public Debt Management and Revenue Mobilisation, Ibrahim Natagwandu, urged the conferees to ensure effective implementation of the federal government programmes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said: “Be that as it may, this retreat is more than an orientation; it is a call to national service at a time when our country is undergoing major reforms aimed at repositioning the economy and optimizing our revenue generation through improved tax systems. The RMAFC occupies a critical place in this journey, as its work directly impacts the fiscal health and cohesion of our Federation.
“I urge each member of the Commission to view your appointment not as a privilege, but as a responsibility to uphold transparency, fairness, and efficiency in the discharge of your constitutional mandate. You are the custodians of a system that ensures equity among the three tiers of government and promotes fiscal balance across the federation.
“This retreat offers you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the Commission’s mandate, internal structures, intergovernmental dynamics, and evolving fiscal realities. It is also a platform to align with the policy direction of the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas of revenue optimisation, economic diversification, and prudent public expenditure.
“This administration remains steadfast in its efforts to reposition the Nigerian economy through bold reforms aimed at reducing poverty, attracting investment, and creating an enabling environment where citizens can thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.
“Guided by the administration’s Agenda, the government is implementing targeted interventions to stabilise the economy, expand opportunities, and improve the quality of life for all Nigerians.”
The chief host, Governor Umo Eno, applauded the federal government’s reform programes especially in the area of increased allocations to states, pointing out that such intervention has given subnationals the leverage to embark on projects with direct bearing on the welfare of the citizenry.
According to Eno, the expansion of the state’s revenue base by the bold decision of the federal government to allocate more cash to the states has, in the last 23 months, engended positive multiplier effects in human capital development, infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism expansion under his administration’s ARISE Agenda blueprint.
“Because of the federal government intervention, we have turned Akwa Ibom State into a huge construction site with projects scattered across the 31 LGAs,” the governor stated.
Chairman of the RMAFC, Alhaji M.B. Shehu, explained that the Retreat, with the theme “Understanding the Role of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and Other Stakeholders/Agencies in Nation Building,” is designed to familiarise and equip members with the Commission’s operations and responsibilities.
He added that the event aimed at preparing members to deliver efficiently on the Commission’s mandates and contribute to nation-building.
He disclosed that the Commission would soon review the revenue formula and urged members to live up to their responsibilities of devising more revenue-generating areas and advising the federal government on new revenue exploration areas.
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