Babangida urges devolution of powers, diversification of economy - GUARDIAN

Published: Monday, 21 October 2013 21:43

Written by From John Ogiji, Minna

FORMER Military President General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida has called for devolution of powers among the three tiers of government and diversification of economy, as part of the solution to the nation’s problems.
  Babangida who said this when members of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) paid him a courtesy visit in continuation of the committee’s nation wide consultation for the review of the revenue formula for the country at his hill top residence, Minna, Niger State yesterday, said diversification of the economy has become necessary for the country to get out of its present mono-cultural structure.
  According to Babangida, the task ahead of the commission is a great one, adding “you have the greatest task ahead of you, trying to do what the act establishing the commission was supposed to do”.
  He maintained that “we are in a country that everything has become highly politicised, I sympathise with you and I have a lot of support for you, it required doggedness because you have the public, you have the National Assembly and you have the executive,” concluding that “this make the task challenging”.
  He insisted that a review of revenue formula is long over due as the last time it was done was in 1992 and this makes the assignment enormous. He however, expressed confidence that at the end of the exercise, Nigerians would be happy with the new formula.
  On devolution of powers, Babangida disclosed that when there is devolution of powers, responsibilities would be shared in order to have reliefs of burden at certain levels, adding that it could be that some responsibilities would be taken from Federal Government to state and to local governments.
   Earlier, Chairman of RMAFC, Engineer Elias Mbam said that the commission is committed to working hard in order to come up with the new revenue sharing formula that would reflect the aspiration of Nigerians.
  Mbam added that their visit to the former military leader was in continuation of its nationwide consultations with stakeholders and elder statesmen and women, noting that General Babangida was father of the commissioner, which according to him was born in 1989 during his regime.
  He recalled that another modification of the revenue sharing was carried out in 2002 and 2004, which was mainly to bring the act in conformity with the constitution so there was no major review.
RMAFC’s chairman said that one of its major responsibilities was to review from time to time the revenue allocation formula and if principle in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities hence the review was long over due looking at the last time it was done.
   Mbam, however, disclosed that the commission has made a responsible progress in that direction that would reflect the wishes of the people of Nigerians, adding “that was why all sections of the society are being involved through the on going consultations with all stakeholders”.