The process of arriving at a new revenue allocation to the three tiers of government and remuneration package for political/ public office holders has reached an ??advanced stage,?? says the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The commission also announced that reconciliation and verification of revenue collections by Revenue Collecting Agencies (RCAs), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are soon to move to the next stage.

RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu made these known at the opening of the 2025 Retreat for members of the commission in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State yesterday.

Vice President Kassim Shettima, who opened the event, charged the RMAFC to play active roles in the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The theme of the three-day retreat is ?Understanding the Role of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and Other Stakeholders/Agencies in Nation Building.?

Shehu assured Nigerians that the Commission was committed to implementing its constitutional mandate of ensuring fiscal federalism for the unity and development of the country.

He said: ?The commission has reached an advanced stage in the process of coming out with a new revenue allocation and remuneration package for political and public office holders.

?Furthermore, its relevant committee(s) have started the process of carrying out the next phase of the reconciliation and verification of revenue collections from Revenue Collecting Agencies in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

?The commission is also committed to continued support and to promote diversification programmes of the three tiers of government.?

The RMAFC boss advised government at all levels to support agricultural development, tourism and invest in the development of solid minerals as a means of diversifying revenue sources ?to meet increased expenditure requirement of governance for development.?

In his opening remarks, Vice President Shettima called on the RMAFC to help the Federal Government actualise its aim of repositioning the economy by optimizing revenue generation through improved tax systems.

Shettima, represented by his Technical Adviser on Public Debt Management and Revenue Mobilisation, Ibrahim Natagwandu, said that RMAFC occupies a critical position in the fiscal health and cohesion of the country.

He said: ?This retreat is more than an orientation; it is a call to national service at a time when our country is undergoing major reforms aimed at repositioning the economy and optimising our revenue generation through improved tax systems.

?The RMAFC occupies a critical place in this journey, as its work directly impacts the fiscal health and cohesion of our Federation.

?This retreat offers you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the commission?s mandate, internal structures, intergovernmental dynamics, and evolving fiscal realities.

?It is also a platform to align with the policy direction of the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas of revenue optimisation, economic diversification, and prudent public expenditure.?

Host Governor, Umo Eno, commended President Tinubu for taking bold economic decisions that are translating into more revenue for sub-national governments.

He said: ?I want to express my profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for some of the bold steps he has taken to rejig Nigeria?s economy, even though we may experience certain levels of hardship associated with some of the policies that he has brought to bear.

?Let me say this as a governor, that some of these decisions have helped sub-nationals to receive more funding from the federation, and these have helped us as governors of sub-nationals to do projects that can improve the lives of our people.

?If these steps were not taken, some states would not be able to pay salaries now; this means some states would have borrowed and amassed debts for generations yet unborn.?

Eno, however, urged the RMAFC to address the issue of conflicting remittances regarding the 13 per cent oil derivation to oil producing states.

?Let me appeal to the commission to look into the area of conflicting oil revenue remittances, one of the indices, as it affects our 13 per cent derivation fund to oil-producing states. We know you are doing some, but we think you can do more,? the governor said. (The Nation)

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