HURIWA lauds FG for composing RMAFC, NFIU boards

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended both President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly for constituting the governing boards of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

The pro-democracy and non-governmental organisation also tasked the Elias Mbam-led RMAFC to work out an effective template to check the volume of leakages, which it said accounts for the high rate of poverty in Nigeria.

HURIWA, in a statement yesterday in Abuja signed by the national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and national media affairs director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, tasked NFIU to ensure that the recent guidelines stopping governors from stealing allocations meant for councils was not a mere media propaganda.

It praised the Dr. Bukola Saraki-led senate for fast-tracking the confirmation of the newly boards, which it said was long overdue, as the last governing board ws dissolved over a year ago.

The group also asked the board to avail both the civil society and the legislature the necessary information in line with the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, to promote greater transparency and accountability by all the revenue agencies of government.

“We commend the executive and the legislative arms of government for rising to the occasion by not playing partisan and divisive politics that would have delayed the confirmation process, which, in any event, was rigorous, comprehensive and thorough,” it stated.

In the same vein, the federal government has approved the appointment of Dr. Bayero Farah as the new director-general of Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, Kaduna State, in acting capacity.

Government’s decision came on the heels of the retirement of Dr. Abimbola Odumosu, who had been in charge of the institute since March 2018.

The letter of appointment was conveyed to the registrar by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, on behalf of the minister.

Handing over to Dr. Farah, the former DG appealed to the institute to accord maximum support and cooperation to his successor.

In his address, Farah observed that his appointment was a call to serve the nation, adding that he would do everything possible to discharge his duties diligently and conscientiously.

Until his new appointment, Farah was the institute’s director of training.