By Mokobia Rita
ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources, as the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) commenced its nationwide Data Verification Exercise in the state.
The governor, who received a delegation from the commission at Government House, Asaba, urged the verification team to go beyond paperwork and physically inspect projects across the state to ascertain the level of development recorded under his administration.
Oborevwori said Delta State had made significant investments in critical sectors, including healthcare, education, roads and other social infrastructure, stressing that the projects were visible and available for independent verification.
“We remain conscious of the need for prudence, accountability and transparency in the management of public resources. As a government, we have massively invested in hospitals, schools and other social infrastructure which have improved the indices of the state in the country,” the governor said.
“We are not just saying it; you will see it. As you go around the state, you will see what we have done. We have been working round the clock across the 25 local government areas. We are doing projects in roads, schools, hospitals and other sectors. They are there for you to verify.”
The governor assured the commission of the state’s full cooperation throughout the exercise, noting that ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the 25 local government councils, had been adequately briefed and directed to provide all relevant records and information required for the verification process.
According to him, the exercise presents an opportunity for the state to demonstrate the extent of its developmental efforts and ensure that official records accurately reflect realities on the ground.
Oborevwori emphasized that the objective of the exercise should be to establish accurate and verifiable data rather than allocate benefits not supported by facts.
“What we want is not for anybody to come and give us what we do not deserve. What we want is that whatever we have, make sure it is there and that the records are accurate. That is the essence of this verification exercise,” he said.
The governor further challenged the RMFAC team to undertake extensive field inspections across the state.
“Don’t stay in Asaba and rely only on reports. Go out and verify the hospitals, schools and other facilities. Let them show you the records and the projects on the ground. It is very important that you see things for yourselves so that you can defend your findings anywhere,” he added.
Oborevwori also reminded the commission that Delta State remains one of the major contributors to the national revenue pool and therefore deserves a fair and objective assessment based on verifiable infrastructure and development indices.
“We are a major contributor to the centre. When you are doing your verification, all we ask is fairness. We know you will do the right thing because we believe strongly in accountability,” he stated.
Earlier, the RMFAC Team Leader, Mohammed Kabir Usman, said the delegation was in Delta State to formally commence the nationwide data verification exercise designed to update and validate data used in determining revenue allocation among states and local governments.
Usman explained that the exercise forms part of the commission’s constitutional responsibility to periodically review the revenue allocation formula in line with changing socio-economic realities across the country.
According to him, rapid population growth, infrastructure expansion and emerging developmental challenges have made it necessary to verify the accuracy of data that underpin revenue allocation indices.
“The review of the revenue allocation formula has reached an advanced stage, and it has become necessary to validate the integrity and accuracy of the data that will ultimately inform the distribution of revenue across the federation,” he said.
He disclosed that the commission had previously trained officials of state and local governments on data collection and management and had also digitised its data gathering processes to improve efficiency and accuracy.
Usman noted that the verification exercise would be conducted in collaboration with ministries, departments, agencies and local government authorities to ensure that the data collected truly reflects conditions on the ground.
He added that the outcome of the exercise could have far-reaching implications for revenue distribution across the federation, making it imperative for all stakeholders to provide accurate and comprehensive information.
The RMFAC official commended Governor Oborevwori for what he described as remarkable achievements in infrastructure development and urban renewal across Delta State.
“I have seen the urban renewal programme, the flyover projects and the massive specialist hospital under construction. We congratulate you for these achievements. They are evidence of the giant strides your administration is making in governance,” Usman said.
He assured the governor that the verification exercise would be conducted with professionalism, transparency and fairness in line with national and international best practices.
