The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has called on the Federal Government to review the revenue allocation formula for the purpose of development of states and the local governments.
The governor made the call at the inauguration ceremony of the newly-elected chairmen of the 18 local government areas of the state held at the International Event Centre in Akure, the state capital on Monday.
The governor pointed out that the constitution stipulated that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should be reviewing the revenue allocation every five years but this had not been done in recent times.
He lamented that the development had been causing a major hindrance to the development and implementation of policies at the state and local governments levels.
He said, "With the present state of finance, it will just be apposite to call the attention of the Federal Government to our skewed fiscal federalism that vests a disproportionate percentage (52 per cent) of revenue in the Federal Government while the states and local governments, the very tiers with considerable contacts with the populace, are given 26 per cent and 20 per cent respectively!
"By virtue of Paragraph 32(b) Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the RMAFC is empowered to prescribe a periodic review of the Revenue Allocation formula every five years in accordance with Section 162 (2) of same constitution."
Mimiko, who said the status quo had remained since 1999, appealed to RMFAC and the Federal Government, to take the appropriate bill to the National Assembly.
While charging the newly-inaugurated council chairmen, who are all members of the Peoples Democratic Party that won the local government election on Saturday, the governor urged them to display exemplary leadership, transparency and accountability in the conduct of government business.
He also advised them to ensure the maintenance of peace and security and seek ways to tackle security challenges because "you are the chief security officers of your various domains."
"You are expected to complement the efforts of the state government in the pivotal role to ensure the security of lives and property of our people so as to continue with the peace and harmony that currently pervades the state," Mimiko said.
