The Federal Government must relinquish portion of its revenue share to the states and local governments in view of the current insecurity and increased remuneration of workers.

“This is the time to make room for the extra, back-breaking, burden which states bear in catering for over bloated workforces, particularly at the third tier, which they cannot retrench (call it right-sizing if you like) without creating worse security, economic or political problems for the states. Moreover, the Federal Government enters into all sorts of agreements with organised labour, including the minimum wage, as well as enhanced pay for some professional cadres, which invariably mean more money out of the already depleted pockets of hapless states and local governments.”

“For instance, what exactly am I doing with 43,788 workers and a salary obligation of N3.8bn monthly for local governments in Kogi State alone

This is quite different from the N3.206bn needed to settle salaries and remunerations every month at the state level for a workforce which also numbers into similar tens of thousands. Note that Kogi’s monthly allocations from Federation Accounts Allocation Committee and JAAC, plus our internally generated revenue, which this administration has grown to about 300 per cent, still hovers around 7bn.”

The Chairman, RMAFC, Elias Mbam promised that in view of the importance of the review, the exercise would be concluded in December this year.

He said the review of revenue among the three tiers of government will increased revenue generation and enhance infrastructure development in states.

The event was attended by representatives from Kogi, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kwara states, among others.