26th October, 2015
Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has called for the restructuring of the revenue allocation system to protect weaker states in the country.
Okorocha made the call when members of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), led by the Chairman, Mr Elias Mbam, visited him at Government House, Owerri, on Monday.
He noted that the status of Imo as one of the oil producing states in the country, had not reflected in what the state receives from the Federation Account.
According to him, many oil blocks in the state were ceded to Rivers, describing the development as worrisome.
“What Imo gets in nine months as allocation is what one state in the South-South gets in one month.”
He asked the RMAFC to consider whether it was proper that states pay the same salary structure, considering the disparity in the revenue allocation to the individual states.
“The economy of the country needs diversification. The nation’s economy must be diversified to de-emphasise the dependence on oil revenue.
“Since the commission decides who gets what, how and when, the case of Imo should be reviewed as an oil producing state.
“The state should be treated like other oil producing states.”
Okorocha, who commended the commission on the quality of men and women at its service, said that the state had justified its allocations
The governor said that the state government was the first to pay the N20,000 minimum wage to workers.
He identified the free education programme from primary to the tertiary and construction of road networks as some of the projects undertaken by his administration.
Earlier, Mbam commended Okorocha and his team for transforming the state.
He said the commission had a duty to review salaries and other revenue issues within its mandate, to reflect the current economic realities in the country.
Mbam expressed the gratitude of the commission to the Imo Government for accepting to host the commission’s retreat.