Business
Osinbajo Tasks Govt On Fiscal Discipline
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has urged the three tiers of government to ensure adherence to fiscal discipline, enhance revenue generation, and rational allocation.
He also called on them to be conscious of the efficient use of resources for Nigeria to achieve sustainable growth.
Osinbajo gave the advice at the opening of a three-day workshop organised by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The theme of the workshop is ” Alternative Sources of Revenue Generation for Sustainable Development in States and Local Government Councils in Nigeria.”
Osinbajo, represented by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, described the workshop as timely, adding that it came at a time the present administration was working hard to re-position Nigeria’s economy after a period of declining revenue.
“The recently announced exit from recession is simply one of the stages in the development of this economy and the growth of this economy for future generation.
“We are determined to build an economy that works for all Nigerians; not just for the rich, not just for when oil prices are high, but also for everybody for the long term.
“This commitment is critical and the engines for this commitment are the state and local government.
“As you know, there are no federal people, everybody lives in a state or local government.
”For this economy to grow in the way it was intended, every state, every local government must be fiscally sustainable and must be able to meet its obligation.
“The obligation of state and local governments is not just the payment of salaries; they have critical roles in development.
Osinbajo said that the President Buhari-led administration had been working very hard to ensure that not only could states pay salaries but were also be able to lay the foundation for growth.
He commended RMAFC for the initiative and opportunity to re-emphasise the need to look beyond traditional revenue sources and strive for the viability of each state government.
Osinbajo advised all states to develop their own sources of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) while commending those that had started doing that.
According to him, one of the biggest ingredients to getting revenue for states and local governments is accountability.
“People would support government when they can see what is happening to the money; it is important that we approach transparency.
“This is not a time for us to relax, this is a time for us to double our efforts, we deserve a better Nigeria, the future generation of Nigerians are looking up to us,” he said.
The vice-president urged participants to engage actively in the workshop and create implementable plans with specific timelines on how to increase public revenues, sustainable within participating states and local governments.
Earlier, the Acting Chairman, RMAFC, Alhaji Shettima Abba-Gana, said the various economic programmes of the present government had helped in getting the country out of recession.
According to him, new additional sources of revenue are being studied, adding that the commission is designing ways of generating and collecting these revenues for the benefit of the states and local governments.
He expressed optimism that the over dependence on statutory transfers of funds from the federation account for governance by the states and local governments would soon begin to reduce.
Abba-Gana said that the workshop would avail the participants with various untapped revenue sources and would introduce them to modern revenue collection techniques.
“The workshop is geared to among others, achieve the burdens of taxation in the development of states and local governments and strategies in generating revenue in solid mineral sector.
“It will help in improving agricultural activities in states and local governments, to enhance revenue generation and encourage PPP to improve economic activity to generate more revenue
“It will also help to reduce cost of governance in Nigeria in order to save more funds,” he said.
The acting chairman expressed optimism that the programme would address and proffer solutions to the most crucial challenges in revenue generation and collection.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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