Reps bill empowers RMAFC to probe illegal salaries
The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, considered and adopted the report on a bill seeking to grant powers of enforcement to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
The legislation is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, Cap. R7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Bill to Grant the Commission Enforcement Powers in the Monitoring of Accruals to and Disbursement of Revenue from the Federation Account and to bring the Act in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and for Related Matters.’
When the bill becomes law, RMAFC will be empowered to prosecute illegal salaries and allowances in ministries, departments and agencies of the federal and state governments as well as the arms of the governments, including the National Assembly.
The House is considering the bill in concurrence with the Senate which earlier passed the bill.
Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Peter Akpatason, who led the debate on the bill said, “It is obvious that we have very serious issues with revenue generation and mobilisation in the country and the existing Act does not enable the authority to properly enhance the process. So, this bill is seeking to give them that enablement to make it easier for revenue mobilisation and national development.”
The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, who chaired the Committee of the Whole to consider the report, also said, “This bill, we had to step it down about twice. We should do our best to pass it.”
According to the RMAFC on its official website, its functions and powers, as provided under Paragraph 32(a-e) of Part I to the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) are “monitor the accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account;
“Review, from time to time, the revenue allocation formulae and principles in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities, provided that any revenue formula which had been accepted by an Act of the National Assembly shall remain in force for a period of not less than five years from the date of commencement of the Act;
“Advise the Federal and State Governments on fiscal efficiency and methods by which their revenue can be increased;
“Determine the remuneration appropriate for political office holders including the president, vice-president, governors, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers, legislators and the holders of the offices mentioned in Sections 84 and 124 of this Constitution; and
“Discharge such other functions as are conferred on the Commission by this Constitution or any Act of the National Assembly.”
PUNCH had reported on January 8, 2023, that the National Assembly’s proposed N30.17bn severance package for members of the outgoing 9th Assembly as well as their aides exceeds the RMAFC’s provision by about N27.36bn.
A severance package or gratuity is the money paid to lawmakers after their four-year tenure in office.
Checks by PUNCH had indicate that the National Assembly members were allocated about N2.81bn, with senators getting N664.94m while House of Representatives members would be paid N2.15bn.
