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Increase LGs Revenue Allocation To 30% – Statekolders

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12 years ago

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Stakeholders in the local government system advocated 30 per cent revenue allocation for local governments by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The stakeholders were reacting to a proposal by the RMAFC on the new revenue-sharing formula for the country, with 20.6 per cent proposed for the local governments.

Speaking to newsmen, a good number of the stakeholders said 20.6 per cent would further hinder the third tier of government from performing its role.

A former  Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, in Lagos State Mr Rotimi Agunsoye, advocated for 30 per cent for the local governments.

“I want to state categorically that the review of the revenue allocation formula to 20.6 per cent is not acceptable at all. What can 20.6 per cent do?

“They should give 30 per cent of the revenue to local governments. I know what goes on at the grassroots.

“If the local governments are to perform to expectations, power and funds should be given to them because they are supposed to bring the dividends of democracy to the people,” he said.

The former commissioner however decried the treatment being meted out to the local governments, saying they were not being treated as the third tier of government.

“Even with the little funds being allocated to the local governments, I will tell you that they are still doing their best.

“From my own perspective, they are not treated as the third tier, especially in the area of revenue allocation,” he said.

Meanwhile, a former council chairman in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area (LGA), Alhaja Nourat Babs-Olorunkemi,disagreed with the 20.6 per cent.

“Only an increase in revenue will make the grassroots government perform better.

“We all know that the local government is the closest to the people and they know where it hurts the people most.

“I will suggest that there should be an increase in their revenue. They have a lot of projects to do, but lack of funds is hindering them,” she said.

The former council chairman suggested that the bank accounts of the local governments should be separated from those of the state governments, saying they deserve an autonomy.

“The control by the state government is another issue hindering the local governments. Any allocation given to the local government should go straight into its account,” she said.

Business Manager, Diamond Bank, Mr Festus Erewele (left), Head Retails, Port Harcourt region, Opuriche Agboalahor and Segment Head,Micro Enterprises and Business Development Service, Mrs Adaeze Ume (right), at the Diamond Xpress Business Seminar in Port Harcourt last Monday. Photo: NAN

Business Manager, Diamond Bank, Mr Festus Erewele (left), Head Retails, Port Harcourt region, Opuriche Agboalahor and Segment Head,Micro Enterprises and Business Development Service, Mrs Adaeze Ume (right), at the Diamond Xpress Business Seminar in Port Harcourt last Monday. Photo: NAN

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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18 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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18 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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18 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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