RMAFC advocates stronger ties with EFCC to combat revenue leakages
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has called for intensified collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to enhance Nigeria’s revenue collection efforts.
RMAFC Chairman, Muhammad Bello Shehu, stated this during a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking at the meeting, Shehu emphasized the appeal focuses on addressing revenue leakages and ensuring the recovery of unremitted funds to the government.
“We are calling on EFCC for more collaboration, not only in the area of enforcement but also intelligence gathering and data sharing with respect to government revenue from any source,” he stated.
Highlighting past successes, Shehu pointed out that collaboration with the EFCC has significantly bolstered RMAFC’s recovery efforts.
He highlighted the importance of this partnership in tackling the issue of unremitted revenue to the Federation Account, while seeking the EFCC’s assistance in capacity building for RMAFC staff, particularly in forensic investigation.
The RMAFC Chairman also revealed that many Revenue Generating Agencies, known as Government Owned Enterprises (GOE), currently operate under a system that permits them to generate, spend, and remit the surplus revenue.
He argued that this practice contradicts constitutional mandates, which require all agencies to remit gross revenues to the Federation Account, as outlined in section 162 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.
Reflecting on historical collaborations, Shehu recalled a joint effort in 2013 that involved forensic consultants recovering N74 billion in unremitted and under-remitted revenues.
He also noted that another collaboration initiated in 2021, which focused on the public sector and oil and gas industries, has so far recovered over N216 billion.
Shehu reiterated that the RMAFC, one of fourteen Executive Bodies established by the 1999 Constitution, plays a crucial role in managing the nation’s revenue.
In his remarks, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede echoed the need for enhanced collaboration to ensure the proper management of government revenue.
He stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in government operations to advance national progress.
Olukoyede also urged RMAFC to address systemic loopholes that facilitate revenue leakages and called for stakeholder meetings to tackle these issues.
He expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, provided that systemic reforms are implemented to prevent corruption.
The EFCC boss concluded by emphasizing the need for prioritizing systemic changes, questioning practices such as ministries without project execution roles awarding contracts, and urging support for the President’s efforts to reposition the country.
“Transparency and accountability should be embedded in our public life as a nation. That’s the only way we can move forward,” he asserted.
