GOVERNOR Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, on Monday, urgedthe Federal Government to institute a comprehensivereform ofthe Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), to tacklethe problem of mismanagement in the oil sector.Healso called for the scrapping ofthe Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Health, sayingthe money being allocated to them shouldbe transferred to athe states and local government councils.Aliyu made the call in Minna at an advocacyworkshop for the North Central Zone by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).He saidthat the reform was necessary to put an end to the inherent mismanagement of the country'soil resources and the inability of the corporation to handle the investment needs of the sector.``We need to reform our major oil agency, the NNPC, because it appears it is incapable of handling the investment and the complex economic issues involved in the oil industry.``We must curb the rapid corruption in the oil industry for the development of the nation's critical infrastructure for the improved well being of Nigerians.''The governoraccused the corporation of fueling the friction between the 36 states and the Federal Government, due toits ``illegal deduction fromsource, ofmonies accruing to the federation''.``The mismanagement isso bad that the NNPC management cannot giveaccurate account of the barrels of crude oil produced in the country nor give account of how much had accrued to the country.''On the call for the scrapping ofthe ministries, heargued that the states and the local governments were in a betterposition to handle their functions.``Why should the Federal Government be involved in sinking boreholes'.In spite of the resources channelled to the ministries over the years, they haveyet to make any impact.''Aliyu urged othergovernors to be steadfast in standing for the rights of the federating units on issues affecting them, including the sharing of money from the federation account.The RMAFC Chairman, Mr. EliasMbam, called for the diversification of the nation's economy to guarantee more revenue to the country.``It is therefore imperative that we find other sustainable and dependable means of funding our national development. There is need thereforefor the three tiers of government to focus on agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and solid minerals sectors.``I wish to appeal to government at all levels to intensifyefforts at economic diversification by providing the necessary legal, regulatory framework as well as enabling environment to attract local and foreign direct investments to boost revenue earning.
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