By Peter Duru

Makurdi- Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has called for upward review of the revenue sharing formula in favour of states and local government councils for greater development in the country.

Ortom

The Governor spoke when the Federal Commissioner representing Benue State at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Mr. Adaa Maagbe paid him a courtesy visit in Makurdi.

He said the call became necessary since “it is no longer feasible for states to cope with development realities and the new national minimum wage using the current revenue sharing formula.

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“Moreover states are willing to pay the N30,000 national minimum wage but they would do better if the revenue sharing formula is reviewed upward in favour of states and local government councils.”

He also reaffirmed his directive to caretaker chairmen in the state and the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to comply with the guidelines issued by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, on funding of local governments pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum challenging the constitutionality of the new regulations.

The Governor expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for finding Mr Maagbe worthy of the appointment, expressing the hope that Benue would fare better in terms of revenue sharing than the past two years when the state had no representative at the RMAFC.

Earlier, the RMAFC Commissioner had solicited the support of the government and people of the state to enable him succeed in his new assignment.

VANGUARD