The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to submit the reports of the Revenue Mobilization allocation and Fiscal Commission
(RMAFC) to the National Assembly for legislative actions.
The House also invited the RMAFC Chairman and Commissioners to appear before its Finance Committee to explain further and report back to the House within 4 weeks.
These resolutions were sequel to adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu at plenary on Wednesday.
Presenting the motion, Elumelu said Section 162 (2) of the 1999 constitution as amended explicitly provides that the President shall after receiving the report of the Commission should forward same to the National Assembly.
According to him, section 162 (2) provides inter-alia; “The President, upon the receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles especially those of population, equality of States, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density.
He said the section also provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than 13% of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources.
The Minority Leader stated that revenue sharing proposals have been sent to the President countless times and yet none of this proposals have ever been brought to the National Assembly for legislative approval.
Elumelu stated that Revenue sharing is one of the key issues that is vital to resolving the sharing formula issues, and true fiscal federalism.
He expressed concern that the continuous disregard for this
constitution provision, upsets national peace and creates fiscal inequity.
