PDP Govs accuse FG of appropriating funds meant for the federation 

 

The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum has called for the separation of offices of the Accountant-General of the Federation and that of the federal government.

While saying that such would remain the only way accountability could be guaranteed, the forum also urged the federal government to improve transparency in the allocation of revenue among the federal, state and local governments in the country.

The governors made this call at the end of their monthly meeting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital over the weekend.

The governors in a communique read by the chairman of the forum and governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, expressed concern over the federal government’s failure to clearly distinguish between federal revenue and revenue accruing to the federation.

They charged the federal ministry of finance and the accountant-general of the federation to heed to Section 162 of the Constitution, which outlines the principles of revenue sharing among the three tiers of government.

They also accused the Accountant-General of the Federation of acting in a manner suggesting a bias toward the federal government.

“The forum notes with concern, the refusal of the federal government to distinguish between the Federal Government of Nigeria’s revenue and revenue accruing to the federation which must be allocated in accordance with extant laws.

“We call on the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to be more transparent in obeying the law, particularly Section 162 (1) (2) (3). And equally, call on the Accountant General of the Federation to stop behaving like the Accountant General of the federal government and to exercise her role in line with the constitution.

“We call for the separation of the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and that of the Accountant General of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the PDP governors said.