Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday urged the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to ensure that the revenue generation corresponds with the sharing formula.
“When what is generated corresponds with what is shared, the people of Niger Delta will have a sense of inclusiveness,” Akpabio said during a visit of RMAFC Committee in Uyo.
According to him: “This is time for you to give a listening ear to the lamentations of oil producing states on the 13 per cent derivation.”
He said the states had felt the negative impact of oil exploration and exploitation “as this comes with considerable measures of economic and environmental degradation on the oil communities.
“We cannot contribute over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and live in penury.
“We are tired of being referred to as the geese that lays the golden egg without commensurate derivation.”
Represented by Valerie Ebe, his Deputy, Akpabio said the wind of development blowing across the region would be tripled if the 13 per cent derivation was increased.
He added: “In the past, the question was so much money goes to the Niger Delta, but there was nothing to show for it.
“Today, it has changed to where do these Niger Delta governors get money from to do all these projects in the region.
“We have not received enough, but we have shown enough for the little we have received.
“This is a clear testimony and indication that if we get more, we will give more to our people.”
The governor said that the new revenue allocation should allocate more funds to the states and local governments, respectively.
He said: “It is only the state and the local governments that are strategically positioned to identify and meet the critical needs of these people.
“Therefore, increasing the revenue appropriation to the two tiers of government would enhance development and bring government closer to the people.”
In his remarks, a Federal Commissioner in RMAFC, Senator Emmanuel Essien, said the challenge of the commission was to identify an enduring and generally acceptable revenue formula in the country.
Essien said: “The aim of achieving maximum rate of national development, proving for fiscal efficiency and ensuring equity and fairness to all stakeholders must be taken into consideration.
“The commission is working hard to ensure that a new revenue formula is fashioned out for the country.”
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