Short of constitutional amendment, the federal government and state governors have resolved to explore how the operations of the Nigeria police can be decentralised in order to improve the level of policing and security in the country.


This is one of the highlights of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting today where a committee of state governors and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has been set up to ensure the decentralisation.

Members of the Committee include the Governors of Zamfara, Ondo, Plateau, Ebonyi, Katsina, Edo and Borno states, who will work with the IGP, Ibrahim Idris.

At the NEC meeting, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, assured that the intelligence community and security agencies will continue to sustain current efforts to mitigate the security challenges across the country.


Mr Monguno had earlier briefed the council on security matters.

Briefing State House correspondents, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Benson Abounu, commended the efforts of the security agencies at mitigating the spate of insecurity in the state.

He especially thanked the security agencies for the thoroughness of Operation Whirl-Stroke, mounted by the Nigerian Army, in Benue State for their decisive operation which, according to him, has brought relative peace to the state.

Mr Abounu, who spoke to reporters, said, “The security situation in Benue State has improved significantly. Now many Internally Displaced Persons have returned home, the State is relatively calm”.

At the NEC meeting also, presentations were made on Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax by States and MDAs by the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler.

Mr Fowler informed council that the audit of the state MDAs has commenced with respective governors and finance commissioners duly notified. He added that the total outstanding VAT and Withholding debt of states’ MDAs stands at N41 billion for the period 2008 to 2016.

Below are highlights of NEC deliberations:

NEC (8TH IN 2018) 91ST NEC MEETING – THURSDAY, 16TH AUGUST, 2018


A.


SECURITY BRIEFING BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (NSA)

· The National Security Adviser (NSA), on behalf of the Security Chiefs in the country, briefed Council on the current security challenges across the country, particularly in the North West, North East, Middle Belt, South East and South-South.

· He informed Council on efforts being made by the Federal Government and urged the State Governments to support Federal Government’s efforts in dealing with the challenges in their respective States, particularly those with local perspectives.


· The NSA assured that the Intelligence Community and Security Agencies will continue to sustain current efforts to mitigate the security challenges across the country.

Council Decision

Cases of bandits should be prosecuted and adequately publicised by the states and Attorney-General encouraged to personally lead the prosecution.

Council recommended that a Committee of NEC with representatives from the geopolitical zones, including Zamfara, Ondo, Plateau, Ebonyi, Katsina, Edo and Borno States be set up to meet with the IG of Police, to determined how to ensure the decentralization of the police operations as quickly as possible.

Council also thanked the NSA and the Service Chiefs for their efforts

B.

PRESENTATION ON STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMISING THE CONTRIBUTION OF MSMES TO THE COUNTRY’S TAX REVENUE PROFILE BY THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)

Highlights of the presentation, among others, are:

· The presentation centred on the contribution of MSMEs to GDP, National Export and to Tax collection for 2015 – 2018.

· It also highlighted the challenges impeding the optimization of MSMEs contribution to Tax Revenue.

· MSMEs are classified into: Micro Enterprises, Small Enterprises and Medium Enterprises.

· National Bureau of Statistics, in partnership with the MSMEs, gave the number of MSMEs in Nigeria as 37,067,419.

· When adequately harnessed, MSMEs can have much impact on the profile tax revenue for the country – especially considering their direct correlation with personal Income Tax, VAT and Withholding Taxes.

Challenges Impeding Optimization of MSMEs Contribution to Tax Revenue: among others

· Poor record-keeping and information management.

· Inability to distinguish personal capital from business money.

· Low awareness of Nigerian Tax Laws.

· Little or no business research leading to close of business.

FIRS Strategies and Rates – among others

Actions

Adequate man-power has been deployed to promptly attend to all tax related challenges by MSMEs.

Respective organs of Government saddled with disbursement and utilization of tax revenue should endeavour to be transparent and accountability in order to motivate Voluntary Tax Compliance by the MSMEs.

Government at all levels should endeavour to provide infrastructural facilities and enabling business environment to allow MSMEs Business to thrive.

C.

REPORT ON VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT) AND WITHHOLDING TAX (WHT) BY STATES OF THE FEDERATION, MDAS OF GOVERNMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN, FIRS

Highlights of the report among others are;

It is a report to Council on critical issues on the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT), status report on States Tax Audit exercise, total remittances by the States’ MDAs and contribution to non-import VAT.

Council is informed that the total outstanding debt of States’ MDAs stands at N41,047,661,213.66 for the period 2008 to 2016.

Process of bringing up-to-date status of VAT and WHT remittances by all States and MDAs by the FIRS is on.

For ease of VAT/WHT collection and automatic remittances of deductions to TSA, FIRS has deployed a Software Payment Platform (SPP) to facilitate States, MDAs computerisation and remittances.

The report informed Council that remittances from States (January to July 2018) stands at N40,299,839,092.79.

FIRS has duly notified the Governors and Finance Commissioners of the ongoing audit exercise and requests the cooperation and collaboration of the States for the success and timely conduct and completion of the exercise.

The report noted that the Honourable Minister of Finance has directed the Federal MDAs and States to verify the authenticity of Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) online as presented by contractors before awarding contracts.

Federal and States MDAs are enjoined to send copies of Manual TCCs issues before August 22, 207 to FIRS for verification before awarding and making payments.

Action Points

All States MDAs are encouraged to adopt the use of the Payment platform or a comparative alternative – Governors to ensure compliance.

Action Points

· All States MDAs are encouraged to adopt the use of the Payment platform or a comparative alternative – Governors to ensure compliance.

· States Governors should direct their MDAs to cooperate with FIRS Auditors for timely completion of the States Audit exercise.

D.

FAAC UPDATE:

REPORT ON EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA)

Minister of Finance also reported to the Council that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at August 14, 2018 stands at $2,250,434,918.00.

UPDATE ON STABILIZATION FUND ACCOUNT:

Minister of Finance reported to the Council that the current balance in the Stabilization Account as at August 14, 2018 stands at N21,591,091,564.37.

UPDATE ON NATURAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND

Minister of Finance equally reported to the Council that the current balance in the Natural Resources Development Fund as at August 14, 2018 stands at N143,479,688,711.25.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/280506-nec-resolves-to-decentralise-nigeria-police.html

Good job from NEC

However you decentralize the NPC

Always allow them to discipline Nigerians

I see most Nigerians happy because they engage in one illegal act or the other

I see them happy because they love indiscipline

Please add cane to their ammunition

Most Nigerians deserve serious beating

They are not above flogging

Don't even mind their age

Serious beating was what makes Steve Job to Cofounded Apple

Serious beating can make most Nigerians to Cofound a very big farm

Just as their great grandfathers did

And eventually lead them to journey of the 50's

The century they deserve

That's if Buhari doesn't change it when he returns back to the country

Good step..


But we are still going for A Fresh Leader who will Restructure the Nation.... We don't need Elections prompted Actions/Promises...

His Excellency Pmb has done his Best.... it's time for him to Peacefully hands off Nigeria affair...

Enough of Close to Elections practices
Enough of Games!!
Let Nigeria begin to Move

GOD BLESS NIGERIA

Good steps but not too sure Nigeria is ready for it

if this happens, osibanjo will out class buhari outrightly... if the UK government has the interest of Nigeria as a car country they colonies, they should just inject a sleeping drugs that would last till December 2019 on buhari so that he will remain in London until a new president is elected...

Katier00:
Good steps but not too sure Nigeria is ready for it

when will they be ready..?...now that something good is about to happen Una don. carry Una witch come abi!!?...

fashoo2010:
That's if Buhari doesn't change it when he returns back to the country

What PDP couldn't do for SIXTEEN YEARS it took Baba and Osinbobo just THREE years to!

I pity all those Atiku and Saraki fanboys who think their Ogas will smell Aso Rock anytime soon.

Our great AG President will take over after Baba's second term.

Good one from the NECK, but the Police should not be handed to State, they will be demonised and turn to personal Body guards

Ever8054:
when will be they be ready..?...now that something good is about to happen Una don. carry Una witch come abi!!?...

which witch? You know how our system works

SolutionMee:
Good job from NEC

However you decentralize the NPC

Always allow them to discipline Nigerians

I see most Nigerians happy because they engage in one illegal act or the other

I see them happy because they love indiscipline

Please add cane to their ammunition

Most Nigerians deserve serious beating

They are not above flogging

Don't even mind their age

Serious beating was what makes Steve Job to Cofounded Apple

Serious beating can make most Nigerians to Cofound a very big farm

Just as their great grandfathers did

And eventually lead them to journey of the 50's

The century they deserve

nigerians don kolo finish. See this one mind [img]https://media1./images/e82c2cd09db0bf410917cda2ef22ffd4/tenor.gif?itemid=5104045[/img]

Corrinthians:
What PDP couldn't do for SIXTEEN YEARS it took Baba and Osinbobo just THREE years to!

I pity all those Atiku and Saraki fanboys who think their Ogas will smell Aso Rock anytime soon.

Our great AG President will take over after Baba's second term.

clueless buhari knows nothing.


this is osibanjo. Not buhari that loves seeing Nigerians die while he keeps quiet.

capatainrambo:
clueless buhari knows nothing.


this is osibanjo. Not buhari that loves seeing Nigerians die while he keeps quiet.

Yes, it is Osinbajo and he is cluefull, wise, belongs to APC, and doing great deeds. It is unfortunate Jonathan couldn't accomplish one tenth of what Osinbajo and APC have accomplished under TEN DAYS in his SEVEN YEARS AS VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT.

Thank God even PDP supporters are now testifying to the goodness of Osinbajo. The man they love to hate because Fani Kayode told them to do so, saying he's an agent of the devil.

God bless President Buhari

Katier00:
Good steps but not too sure Nigeria is ready for it

Iam with u on this one,we aint ready for this with all this riffras as governorS. I will rather go 4 community policing where every state recruits their indigines as the state police force.

Corrinthians:
Yes, it is Osinbajo and he is clueless, wise, belongs to APC, and doing great deeds. It is unfortunate Jonathan couldn't accomplish one tenth of what Osinbajo and APC have accomplished under TEN DAYS in his SEVEN YEARS AS VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT.

Thank God even PDP supporters are now testifying to the goodness of Osinbajo. The man they love to hate because Fani Kayode told them to do so, saying he's an agent of the devil.

but it's the same clueless buhari you want me to vote for ?


zombies 're stupid

capatainrambo:
but it's the same clueless buhari you want me to vote for ?


zombies 're stupid

No one needs your votes. Keep it for whosoever. Just continue supporting Osinbajo. That is okay for us.

If we have State police, other restructuring program must follow.

If every state police start dumping their criminals in prisons based on local laws example alcohol prohibition the Federal Prison can't support that. - NEED FOR STATE PRISON.

Most state currently cannot pay their wages bill conveniently talkless of funding police with power if guns - THERE IS NEED TO CHANGE THE REVENUE SHARING FORMULA

Corrinthians:
No one needs your votes. Keep it for whosoever. Just continue supporting Osinbajo. That is okay for us.

I support good governance unlike stupid zombies that queue behind senile old terrorists

What's the essence of this?

Mynd44:
https://www.nairaland.com/4680517/insecurity-nec-commences-process-decentralise

Nice one. Sai chanji, Sai Baba

Corrinthians:
No one needs your votes. Keep it for whosoever. Just continue supporting Osinbajo. That is okay for us.

Hahahaha.
Savage

National Executive Council right?APC now restructuring in style.

SolutionMee:
Good job from NEC

However you decentralize the NPC

Always allow them to discipline Nigerians

I see most Nigerians happy because they engage in one illegal act or the other

I see them happy because they love indiscipline

Please add cane to their ammunition

Most Nigerians deserve serious beating

They are not above flogging

Don't even mind their age

Serious beating was what makes Steve Job to Cofounded Apple

Serious beating can make most Nigerians to Cofound a very big farm

Just as their great grandfathers did

And eventually lead them to journey of the 50's

The century they deserve

I reject it in Jesus Name. Amen!!!

Are all this not waste of time by osibanjo? Things that bubu will soon destroy now when he comes back. Mitsheww.

SolutionMee:
Good job from NEC

However you decentralize the NPC

Always allow them to discipline Nigerians

I see most Nigerians happy because they engage in one illegal act or the other

I see them happy because they love indiscipline

Please add cane to their ammunition

Most Nigerians deserve serious beating

They are not above flogging

Don't even mind their age

Serious beating was what makes Steve Job to Cofounded Apple

Serious beating can make most Nigerians to Cofound a very big farm

Just as their great grandfathers did

And eventually lead them to journey of the 50's

The century they deserve

We your village people are proud of what you've become. Keep posting nonsense online. Na your papa you resemble.

This is a great move for the federal government.

Buhari and Osinbajo is a great thinking team.

I'm indeed impress and I applaud the move the effect this submission.

No doubt the decentralization will support active and immediate response to security matters as it affects Nigerian.

This is the right step in the right direction and an addition badge to the shoulder of the Buhari administration.

And I'm also impressed to see the 'ordinary commissioner' as one clueless senator called him to be working in the absence of the President and getting result at the same time.

This is the first government we've had where the vice-president can function in the office as well as the President himself. It's amazing!

I appreciate NEC and the security chiefs for humbling themselves on this agreement and this is somewhat the birth of state policing that we all have been clamouring for.

Kudos to Buhari
Good thinking Osinbajo

What a perfect team till 2023.