Chairman of the Revenue Allocation Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohamed Bello Shehu, has described traditional rulers as not only the custodians of tradition and culture but also pillars of stability and development in Nigeria.
Head of Information and Public Relations at the commission, Maryam Umar Yusuf, said in a press release that the chairman made the remark when some traditional rulers from Nasarawa State, led by His Royal Highness, the Osana of Keana, Alhaji Abdullahi Amegwa, paid him a courtesy visit on Monday, 7th October, 2024, in his office in Abuja.
He said, “Prior to the colonial era, the system of government that existed in Nigeria was controlled by the traditional rulers in our various societies.
“The remarkable role they played not only as custodians of culture and traditions but also as development agents in various societies that formed what is known as Nigeria today cannot be over-emphasised.”
Shehu stressed the need to recognise the rightful position of the royal fathers and accord them a better role that will enable them to perform optimally.
“We did not get things right with the Local Government (LG) reforms of 1976 and we did not get it right with the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).
“But I only hope and pray that the present attempt at reforming the Constitution will place a bigger role on the traditional rulers and be able to also find a way not only to fund it but to sustain it so that they will be able to hold the society together as they have done over the years,” he said.
Earlier, Dr. Samson Gamu Yare, the Chun Mada of Akwanga, who spoke on behalf of the leader of the delegation, disclosed that the interface with the commission emanated from the deliberation of the Council of Chiefs in Nasarawa State, which was endorsed by the state Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule.
He explained that they were in the commission to request that the 5% of the allocation to local governments, which is constitutionally approved for traditional councils, should be deducted from the source and allocated directly to the respective traditional rulers to ensure proper accountability and compliance.
The royal father said, “Even with the improvement in statutory allocation, the 5 percent allocated to Traditional Councils has continued to experience decline and that for us is a serious concern.
“This called for the interface and pleading from the traditional council for the commission to consider deducting the 5% charge from the source and disbursing it to the traditional councils.
“Past experiences show that the modus operandi of deductions where any kind of formular is applied with regard to the implementation strategy is unacceptable.”
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the resilience and courage to identify with the grass root to ensure that the third tier of government is given its rightful place of pride following the Supreme Court ruling, which granted financial autonomy to Local governments as provided in the constitution of Nigeria.
He also congratulated the chairman of the commission and the Hon. Members for being found worthy to serve the country in this capacity.
Speaking on the issue, some members and directors of the commission at the occasion emphasised the need for clear a policy on the deduction and allocation of the 5% entitlement to the traditional councils.
After an exhaustive deliberation, the royal fathers were advised to formally write a letter to the Presidential Committee on Local Government Autonomy and copy the commission for actionable recommendation to the committee.
Other members of the delegation were His Royal Highness, Mahmoud Umar Bwalla, the Sangarin Shabu, and His Royal Highness, Pham. Luka Panya Baba, the Etsu Karu.
