Senate Enjoins Ministry of finance, Attorney General Office, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to Harmonize Clauses on Bill to Amend Act Establishing RMAFC
By Onwe Wisdom
The Nigerian Senate has on Wednesday through it committee on national planning and economic affairs enjoined the trio of ministry of finance, attorney general office and revenue mobilization allocation and fiscal commission to harmonize concerns, observations and conflicting clauses necessitating amendment of the Act for the committee consideration and over all legislation on the floor of the senate.
The chairman of the committee, senator representing Kebbi North Senatorial district, Sen. Abdullahi Yahaya said the decision is born out of the issues raised from the committee hearing of the intending amendment to the act from the trio of ministry of finance, Attorney General Office and revenue mobilization allocation and fiscal commission.
Earlier, the chairman of RMAFC, Muhammed Bello has posited that the commission is incapacitated in carrying out it constitutional mandate due to poor funding, leading to inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the commission in meeting it responsibilities as constitutionally mandated by the Act establishing it.
The committee in it Wisdom having listened extensively to concerns and observations of trio some of the clauses have enjoined the them to harmonize issues, concerns and observations raised and close the gaps in the intended amendment to the Act.
Addressing journalists immediately after the committee sitting , committee Chair, sen. Abdullahi Yahaya said they are committed to legislation that will ensure proper funding of commission to carry out her constitutional mandate.
He however note that irrespective of their sympathy for the commission on poor funding, they will not give the commission power that’s not allocated to them by the constitution.
” we sympathize with the commission but we will not give them power above the power given them by the constitution, and whatever harmonization reached by them will not just be taken but would be thoroughly vetted by the committee then submit our report on the floor of the senate for general input and consideration.”
Their harmonization not withstanding, their report will be thoroughly study, thereafter, the committee will submit her report to the Senate where the final legislation on the matter will be done.
