It was an interesting outing on Monday, October 4, when about 50 different human right groups and civil society organizations, CSOs, under the leadership of the renowned activist, Comrade Razaq Olokoba, stormed the venue of the two-day public hearing on review of revenue allocation formula by the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.
The arrival of the organizations around 9.00am with their trademark solidarity songs electrified the serene atmosphere of the elite environment of the Kofo Abayomi area of Victoria Island, Lagos, where the venue of the event, the Lagos Continental Hotel, is situated.
The first regional hearing was hosted by the Lagos State government under Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, as the Chief Host, while the state Commissioner of Finance, Hon. Rabiu Onaolapo Olowo, played host to his other counterparts from across the South-West region.
Participants and discussants came from Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti states, with all of them armed with memoranda over the redistribution of the nation’s revenue, with particular resolve to give states and local governments substantial amounts for their constitutionally assigned responsibilities, as tiers of of government that are closer to the grassroots people.
In attendance also was the Chairman, RMAFC, Engr. Elias N. Mbam, as well as representatives of local governments areas from across the six states of the South-West geo-political zone of the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Finance, Mrs Oyeyemi Ayoola, who was all over the place, did a marvellous job to see that every attendee was comfortable and felt at home.
Contributing to the subject matter, Comrade Olokoba, who is the National President of the Campaign for Dignity in Governance, CDG, congratulated Governor Sanwo-Olu on the successful outing, throwing his weight behind the formula that would give the states and local governments better percentage of the revenues to take care of the enormous responsibilities that the constitution put under upon their shoulders.
Olokoba said that the states and the local governments are the closest tiers of government to the people of the grassroots, believing that if the grassroots is developed, it will positively rub of on the whole nation.
Restating the confidence of his group in Governor Sanwo-Olu, that he would judiciously utilise the fund added to the the current formula if the proposal to the Federal Government comes to fruition, Olokoba added that he also believed that other governors would fall in line with Sanwo-Olu, because of the love they have for their people as per their welfare.
The two-day parley is expected to come to an end on Tuesday, October 5.
