Boko Haram, Terrorism and Allocations

by Samuel Diminas

This article seeks to address issues raised in the following publications:

A......Re: Sanusi Links Boko Haram to Derivation
Thisdaylive,  By Yemi Adebowale, with agency reports, and Ahamefula Ogbu 
28 Jan 2012.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/sanusi-links-boko-haram-to-derivation/108039/
(1) See comment for live link


B.....Nigerian central bank calls for end to imbalances
Financial Times
By William Wallis
January 26, 2012 5:27 pm
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/02ce9e7e-4837-11e1-b1b4-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1klFc0HdC
(2) See Comment for live link


In order for us to have a well-rounded opinion on the often-raised issues of derivation, allocation, poverty, deprivation, corruption, militancy, terrorism etc and their relationship in the Nigerian equation, it would be pertinent to review the relevant financial data.


The purpose of this article is to bring to the public discourse, the relevant raw financial data required to reach informed conclusions on the issues.


The Source of all data is from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja. 
Summary of Gross Revenue Allocation by Federation Account Allocation Committee for the Month of August, 2011 Shared in September, 2011 

http://fmf.gov.ng/images/FAAC/faacrepSep2011.pdf
(3) see comment for live link



All the information/data provided below, is also available on the Federal Ministry of Finance website www.fmf.gov.ng and Office of Accountant-General of the Federation website www.oagf.gov.ng. In addition, you would find on these websites details of the Capital and Recurrent allocations to all arms of Government including Federal Ministries and Agencies. The Budget Office website www.budgetoffice.gov.ng also contains information about the Budget.


NORTH EAST

Total Allocations to state, ie State Statutory + State VAT + LGA + LGA VAT

Adamawa:          N7.31Billion
Bauchi:               N8.39Billion
Borno:                N9.15Billion
Gombe:              N5.54Billion
Taraba:              N6.73Billion
Yobe:                 N6.64Billion

NE Total allocation received = N43.76b


South East

Total Allocations to state, ie State Statutory + State VAT + LGA + LGA VAT

Abia:                        N7.76Billion
Anambra:                 N7.45Billion
Enugu:                     N6.55Billion
Ebonyi:                     N5.39Billion
Imo:                         N8.52Billion

SE Total allocation received = N35.67Billion



North West

Total Allocations to state, ie State Statutory + State VAT + LGA + LGA VAT

Jigawa:                        N8.49Billion
Kano:                          N13.56Billion
Katsina:                       N10.04Billion
Kebbi:                          N7.29Billion
Kaduna:                       N9.47Billion
Sokoto:                        N7.75Billion
Zamfara:                      N6.56Billion

NW Total allocation received = N63.16Billion



South West

Total Allocations to state, ie State Statutory + State VAT + LGA + LGA VAT

Ekiti:                         N5.67Billion
Lagos:                       N16.27Billion
Ogun:                        N7.16Billion
Ondo:                        N8.76Billion
Osun:                        N7.66Billion
Oyo:                          N9.68Billion

SW Total Allocation: N47.55Billion




North Central

Total Allocations to state, ie State Statutory + State VAT + LGA + LGA VAT

Benue:                    N8.20Billion
Kogi:                      N7.41Billion
Kwara:                   N6.03Billion
Nasarawa:              N5.51Billion
Niger:                    N8.80Billion
Plateau:                 N6.84Billion

NC Total Allocation: N42.79Billion

South South

Total Allocations to state, ie State Statutory + State VAT + LGA + LGA VAT

Akwa Ibom:                   N21.76Billion
Bayelsa:                         N15.69Billion
Cross Rivers:                 N6.92Billion
Delta:                            N20.15Billion
Edo:                               N7.75Billion
Rivers:                           N22.28Billion

SS Total Allocation:    N94.55Billion


**
States with least allocations; in Nbillion.

Ebonyi:             5.39
Nasarawa:         5.51
Gombe:             5.54
Ekiti:                 5.67
Kwara:              6.03
Enugu:              6.55


Total allocation comparison by zone, starting from highest; in Nbillion

SS:          94.55
NW:        63.16
SW:         47.55
NE:         43.76
NC:        42.79
SE:         35.67


The reader is left to his or her own analyses of the data to reach their own conclusions.


The problems with Nigeria are very profound, there are no easy solutions to any of the problems, the sooner the Nigerian leadership as well as the people come to terms that hard and painful decisions are required to set the country on the right part, the better for Nigeria.


These hard decisions would include the dismantling of structures and policies which engender a culture of dependency, a constitutional review which would amend ambivalent and parochial laws, the acceptance of liberty and the freedom of private enterprise over government controlled inefficient management of businesses and important sectors of the economy, as well as a true Federalism which allows each state to be a master of its destiny, be it a desire for Sharia or a desire for state wide consumption subsidy, the center should not be micro-managing every detail of our lives, most govt policies should be left to state decisions while the FG faces the more dauning tasks left to FG's (The US system would make a good model)


The constituent states of Nigeria would need to pull apart a bit in order to save the country, the close central system is responsible for most of the friction and clashing of heads within the polity, it would be important for each state to be responsible for a large percent of their income rather than relying entirely on allocations from the center


On Boko Haram, we have to face the truth; it is more of a result of nurtured religious extremism over the decades that was bound to deteriorate; that is the direction we should be looking to solve the Boko Haram problem.

In a decentralized system, each state would have a more remarkable impact and responsibility to the people; if such a system existed, akin to the US system of Federalism, Boko Haram would more likely have noticed that 12 core northern states are full Sharia practicing states, were the states are mere passengers, little wonder the people do not attach much weight to state laws which in reality should impact more on each individual; the implication is the macabre dance of death to capture the center were all the action lies. We all need freedom from the center; including those at the center today whom would end up being the complaining opposition tomorow.


The structure of the Nigerian system of government, which highlights the center and diminishes the individual states, has been at the heart of the Nigerian problem from 1966 till date; it cannot be sustained for very much longer.