Arewa group urges Tinubu to include RMAFC in oil revenue order implementation

The Arewa Think Tank has called on President Bola Tinubu to incorporate the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission into the implementation framework of his newly signed executive order on oil and gas revenue remittance.

The group made the appeal in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Convener, Muhammad Yakubu, in Kaduna.

Harmattan News previously reported that Tinubu signed an executive order directing the direct remittance of oil and gas revenues into the Federation Account. The move aims to boost national earnings and block leakages in the petroleum sector.

The President stated that the directive was intended to safeguard government revenue, curb wasteful spending, and eliminate duplicative structures in the industry.

The order, signed pursuant to Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and anchored on Section 44(3), seeks to restore constitutional revenue entitlements for Federal, state, and local governments. It also addresses concerns arising from the Petroleum Industry Act, under which substantial Federation revenues were reportedly lost through multiple deductions, charges, and retained earnings.

While commending the President, Yakubu described the executive order as a bold and timely intervention.

“We commend President Bola Tinubu for this courageous and patriotic executive order aimed at restoring transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector. This is a step in the right direction for strengthening the Federation Account and ensuring that revenues due to all tiers of government are protected,” he said.

However, the group noted that RMAFC, a constitutionally empowered body responsible for monitoring accruals into and disbursement from the Federation Account, was not listed as a member of the implementation committee constituted by the President.

“It may have been an oversight, but we respectfully appeal to Mr President to include the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission in the Executive Order’s implementation committee he has just established,” Yakubu said.

According to him, the commission’s statutory mandate makes it a critical stakeholder in any reform that directly affects the Federation Account.

“The inclusion of RMAFC will strengthen the credibility, transparency and institutional balance of the implementation process. As the body is constitutionally saddled with monitoring revenue accruals and disbursement, its participation is indispensable,” he added.

Yakubu stressed that broad-based institutional collaboration would ensure that the objectives of the executive order are fully realised.

He said eliminating leakages, curbing excessive deductions, and repositioning key institutions strictly along commercial lines would require the involvement of all relevant constitutional bodies.

The Arewa Think Tank reiterated its support for the administration’s reform agenda and expressed optimism that incorporating RMAFC into the framework would reinforce transparency, fiscal discipline, and public confidence in the management of oil and gas revenues.