Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Engineer Elias Mbam, has disclosed the recovery of over N75 billion from verification and reconciliation of revenue collections since 2015.

Speaking on the activities of the commission, he further revealed that the commission has embarked on another verification exercise this year which is likely to yield over N100 billion.

According to him, “We carried out a verification and reconciliation of revenue collections from collecting agencies. It is on record that the commission has recovered over N75 billion since 2015 and we are still recovering more. We have just put up an advert for consultants to express interest for the next round of verification exercise. We expect that this verification we are starting this year will yield over N100 billion”.

On salary increment for political officeholders, the chairman explained that the commission would review the remuneration of political officeholders this year. He, however, hinged the review on the result of the verification exercise.

“On salary increment, the 30 per cent is more or less for civil servants. We have not received any request for salary increment. However, it is the intention of the commission to review the remuneration of public office holders this year. And the process will determine whether it will be reduction or otherwise. The remuneration will reflect the current realities. I don’t want to pre-empt what will be the result. It is a process. If followed appropriately, we will arrive at the appropriate answer,” he noted.

Mbam who is also an advocate of revenue diversification remarked that Ogun State got the highest revenue from the mineral sector, adding that from all indications, other states including; Nasarawa and Kogi are likely to do better this year.

“Every state generated revenue from the solid mineral sector. But the highest came from Ogun State. I am sure, with the sensitisation that is going on in the states, Nasarawa and Kogi will do better from what I saw on the list” he noted.

“Generally, all the states have the potential to generate revenue from solid mineral. We encourage them. A lot of revenues are lost either by theft or collusion. So, we want to close all those leakages and that will enhance the revenue generated from the states” he said.