Economic Confidential, July, 2009

PROFILE

Rebo Usman: The Chartered Commissioner of Finance

By Labaran Saleh

In his home state, the people regard him as a saviour for providing affordable education and engaging in youths empowerment programme. He has deployed his energy and passion to ensure that poverty is eliminated in all its ramifications in the state in conformity to the dream and vision of his governor, Danbaba Suntai.

The newly elected Chairman of Commissioners of Finance Forum and presently Commissioner of Finance in Taraba State, Mr. Rebo Usman Ehwan is a public officer with a difference.

This one-time Special Adviser on Revenue Matters to Governor of Taraba State is more concerned in accelerating the development of the state in the areas of education and industrialisation, the major agenda of Governor Suntai. One of his landmark projects in the state is a school he established, Grace Academy, that comprises nursery, primary and secondary schools to cater for the need of the people most especially the poor who could not afford exorbitant fees charged by other private schools.

He forms as hobby a daily visitation, outside office hours, to the school located at ATC in Jalingo, the state capital to interact with the students and see to their need. He once said that “poverty does not know religion, ethnicity or even political party. Apart from that, I have tasted poverty. I know what it takes to be poor especially as a child seeing your mates going to school while you sit back at home. I have climbed the tree with my teeth so I can tell you the bitter aspects of any tree. But in spite of all these, I never wish my worst enemies, if at all there is any, to pass through the poverty world.”

On the economic front, Rebo Usman believes that the real solution to the dwindling economic fortunes of government lies in its ability to harness potential sources of economic activities. He said: "We must appreciate, for example, that individuals and companies can only pay tax when they are able to earn incomes, either through salaries or profits made from employment or business activities." He therefore urged his colleague - commissioners to improve on their internally-generated revenues which they have neglected over the years.

On his election as the Chairman of the forum of Commissioners of Finance, he faced the challenges of confronting Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation for allegedly surcharging the states of their due revenues. Usman for instance had to recently declare that the removal of one percent commission by the central bank on the Paris club debt exit as unconstitutional. He said that the remittance of the money to the states would help address some of the financial challenges in completing some projects at the grassroots. He said the act establishing the central bank violates the receipt of remunerations of services.

He also voiced out the concern of his members over some withheld funds due to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, insisting that the corporation should refund the amount valued at about 405 billion naira to the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee.

In an effort to support government’s anti-corruption crusade, Mr. Usman and other commissioner of finance have resolved to address lapses in the management of public funds to prevent them from being misused or looted by corrupt officials, while they pledged to work with the country's anti-graft agencies and other institutions to strengthen the campaign against corruption in the polity. In fact in his state, he introduced bio-metric system of payment that has flushed out ghost workers from the civil service pay roll and also saved some huge amount monthly for the state.

Born in February 16, 1959 in Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State, Usman had his primary education at Nyita Primary School and proceeded to Government College, Makurdi. He holds the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy from Kaduna Polytechnic in 1983.

Rebo Usman who completed the qualifying examinations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN in 1990 was admitted Full Member of the Institute in July 1991. He was elected Fellow of the Institute in October 2002.

Rebo Usman trained in Onwufuju, Giwa-Osagie and Co (Chartered Accounts) and later became a partner in the firm. He also worked with the defunct Gongola Investment Company Ltd where he rose to the rank of Financial Controller.

In 1993 he started his sole accounting practice under his name Rebo Usman & Co (Chartered Accountants) which has carried out auditing of several private and public organisations and served as Financial Management Consultants to the National water Rehabilitation Project.

His interest for the public office came when he was appointed Special Adviser to Governor of Taraba on Economic Matters and later Special Adviser on Due Process between 2003 and 2007. It was in July 2007 that the present Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Ibrahim Suntai appointed him Commissioner of Finance. He was elected Chairman of the Forum of Commissioners of Finance in March 2009.

Rebo Usman got married to Mrs. Christy in April 1990 and they are blessed with four children: Ubin (18), Esther (16), Ehwan (13) and Bitrus (7).