Kebbi govt pledges support for RMAFC data verification exercise

The Kebbi State Government has assured the Federal Government of its cooperation towards the accurate validation of data within the state and its local government areas.

The assurance was given during a visit by a delegation from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for a data verification exercise in the state.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Senator Abubakar Umar Tafida, on behalf of the Governor, Comrade Nasiru Idris, stated that the government was ready to provide all necessary data and logistics to ensure the success of the exercise.

He added that members of the State Executive Council, as well as heads of ministries, departments and agencies, were present to understand the requirements of the exercise and offer full cooperation.

ALSO READ: Oyo govt intensifies campaign against female genital mutilation

The Deputy Governor noted that data is central to planning and governance, stressing that it is critical to the state’s quest for sustainable development and improved livelihoods for its people.

“We assure you that Kebbi State will continue to provide the necessary support to ensure the success of this important national assignment,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, the RMAFC Commissioner, Professor Adekunle Wright, said the ongoing nationwide data verification exercise is aimed at ensuring accurate data for the sharing of revenue among states and local government areas.

Wright described the exercise as a critical national assignment that would strengthen the integrity of the indices used in the distribution of revenue across the federation.

He said it aligns with the Commission’s constitutional mandate under Paragraph 32(b) of Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, which empowers it to continuously review the revenue allocation formula.

According to him, changing socio-economic realities, including population shifts, infrastructure expansion and evolving development needs, make it essential to periodically verify and update the data underpinning revenue allocation.

“It has become necessary to validate the integrity and accuracy of the data that inform revenue distribution across the federation,” he said.

He added that in 2022, the Commission conducted a nationwide capacity-building programme to equip state and local government officials with skills in data gathering and management for computing revenue allocation indices.

Since arriving in Kebbi, the RMAFC team has been working closely with ministries, departments, agencies and local government authorities to ensure credible data verification and collection.