Revenue commission wants states, others to access agric fund

TO boost food production and also diversify their income streams, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Elias Mbam, has advised states and local councils to access the Natural Resources Fund (NRF).

The NRF is fund from the Federation Account budgeted yearly to intervene in the development of natural and agricultural resources, as well as in ecological disasters in the country.

Checks at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) yesterday to establish the balance in the fund were not successful as the desk officers were not available when The Guardian called.

The RMFAC chairman, who assured sates and councils nationwide of assistance to access the fund, spoke yesterday in Abuja when he received the Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai. Suntai was on a working visit to the commission to seek access to funds for mineral production in the Mambilla Plateau in the state, according to the Head of Public Communications Unit of the RMAFC, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed.

The RMAFC boss stressed that the fund was principally established to encourage the three-tiers of government develop the agricultural and solid minerals sectors as a way of reducing the continued over-dependence on oil revenue, as well as the need to diversify the Nigerian economy given the fact that hydro-carbon resources are exhaustible and non-renewable.

“The chairman assured the beneficiaries of the Federation Account namely federal, states and local governments, of the commission’s efforts to ensure equity, justice and fair play in the allocation of funds.

“He also told the visiting governor that the commission, in furtherance of its mandate to increase the revenue base of the three-tiers of government, has embarked on nationwide advocacy workshops to sensitise stakeholders on the need to revive the moribund agricultural, tourism, solid minerals and manufacturing sectors to boost revenue generation for sustainable growth and development”, he said.

Earlier, Governor Suntai told members of the commission that the Mambila Plateau harbours huge potential for agricultural, tourism, industrial and solid minerals development.

He stressed that the state was desirous of accessing the Natural Resources Fund to boost internal revenue generation through the development of natural resources, which would fast-track socio-economic development and reduce the state’s over-dependence on statutory monthly allocations from the Federation Account.

Suntai, therefore, urged the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to consider the peculiar needs of Taraba State in the allocation of funds, especially in the forthcoming review of the existing Revenue Allocation Formula.