Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday called for more revenue to be allocated to states in the country. Obi made the call for a change in the revenue sharing formula to favour the states when a team from the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, paid him a courtesy visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Awka, the state capital.
He said states have the bulk of responsibilities that drive the federation and should therefore be entitled to receive more revenue from the Federation Account. The governor suggested that 40 percent of the allocation should go to the Federal Government and 40 percent to states, while local government councils should receive 20 percent.
He called on RMAFC to specify a bench-mark that will regulate the least amount states should receive while the present imbalance in states creation among the geo-political zones should also be considered in the review being advocated.
The leader of the team, Chief Nnamdi Ekweogwu, said they were in the state to sensitise the people on the on-going review of the allocation formula to enable them make useful input that would help fashion out credible and acceptable formula.
Ekweogwu recalled that the allocation formula has not been reviewed since 1992 and is no longer in tune with the times as more states have been created since the last review. He said the commission has taken various measures to ensure that the exercise is successful and meet the expectations of the people.
