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The Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, Kemi Adeosun, called for an emergency meeting next week with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, and key management staff of the corporation over revenue payment into the Federation Account.
The summon followed the boycott of Tuesday’s Federation Accounts Allocation Committee by the Commissioners of Finance for the 36 states of the Federation.
Adeosun had to prevail on the Commissioners to have a rethink and then rescheduled the meeting for Wednesday (today).
In declaring the meeting inconclusive, the Accountant- General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, who represented Adeosun, said: “The meeting became inconclusive following the inability of the members of the Federal Accounts and Allocation Committee, specifically the State Commissioners of Finance, representatives of the people, to reconcile revenue figures presented for their consideration at today’s meeting.
“As you are aware, issues regarding the distribution of revenue by the three tiers of government is not only statutory but also a constitutional provision and given its importance to meeting the needs of the people as well as development of the nation’s economy, it is critical that the figures must be verified and reconciled before they can be distributed.”
Idris further explained that the Federal Government and indeed the entire members of FAAC are very sensitive of the implication of this position, especially as the Easter festive period is around the corner and that they would do everything possible to resolve the matter and ensure that Nigerian workers and indeed the entire Nigerian working class are able to meet their obligations during this festive period.
In his own remarks, the Chairman of the Commissioners forum, Alhaji Mamoud Yinusa, who is also the Commissioner of Finance for Adamawa State, blamed the situation on the inability of the NNPC to send in their revenue figures early.
But Adeosun swiftly met with the representatives of States Commissioners of Finance and have agreed to reconvene the meeting for Wednesday.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Communication to the Minister, Akintunde Oluyinka, the meeting will hold at 9am.
Adeosun called on FAAC members to endeavour to be in attendance.
The Eagle Online