Lamido Says Some Ministers Have More Power Than FG
Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has expressed concern over how some ministers in Nigeria appear to be more powerful than the federal government that appointed them.
Apparently referring to the way the petroleum minister Diezani Allison Madueke and other of her colleagues are managing their ministries to the extent the federal government is afraid to call them to order on critical issues, Gov. Lamido described the development as very alarming to the country’s economy and polity.
Lamido said, "It seems to me that there are ministers who are more powerful than the government that appointed them. How can an agency like NNPC deduct monies before remitting into the federation account? It is just like your salesman deducting his salary from the actual sale before giving you the money. According to the constitution no one has the right to spend money that is not appropriated. It is clear that all monies generated belongs to the federation account."
Speaking yesterday while receiving the commissioner representing Jigawa State at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Alhaji Adamu Muhammad Wazirin Gumel, who paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Dutse, Gov. Lamido said the stories we hear of missing funds in a sector is very alarming.
“We have been hearing frightening stories of unbelievable figures of monies being declared missing or un-remitted in a sector that constitute our economic mainstay, yet we are in a country were even the citizens cannot speak the truth and if you dare speak they would call you a trouble maker.
“Nigerians have a right to know how much is being realised from the sales of crude oil, how much is being remitted to the federation account by NNPC and other revenue generation agencies," he said.
Lamido also said the federal government had no right to keep the excess money from crude account but rather it should be shared among the three tiers of government.
Source: Legit.ng
