Fayemi never meddles in funds allocation to local councils – Aide

Contrary to misleading narratives, Ekiti’s Gov. Kayode Fayemi does not meddle in the activities of the state’s Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) or superintends over any of its meetings.

The assertion was made on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode.

A former chairman of Ado Local Government Council, Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi, had said that she received N7 million monthly out of Federal Government’s allocation of N100 million, while she was in office.

She also alleged Gov. Fayemi’s interference in the monthly budgetary allocation to local councils.

The governor’s spokesman, however, stated that Fajuyi’s claim was a misrepresentation of facts as the JAAC normally deducts local councils’ commitments at source before crediting their accounts with their balances.

Oyebode listed local government’s commitments deducted at source to include payment for staff salaries, primary school teachers’ salary, and payment of traditional institutions.

Others are proportional payment of pensioners, payment of political office holders, including the Chairman, payment of health workers’ salaries and proportional payment to security outfits.

“The monthly allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee to the councils are determined by the JAAC at the state level in line with relevant provisions of the law.

“The JAAC meeting usually have in attendance the council chairmen, the commissioner for local government, state’s and local governments’ auditors-general, among other state officials,’’ Oyebode stated

“While the JAAC meeting is held monthly to determine how the allocations to the local council would be disbursed, it is on record that Gov. Fayemi never meddled in the JAAC affairs nor superintends over any of its meetings.

“Except for the purpose of mischief, Mrs Fajuyi knew the governor never had anything to do with JAAC throughout her tenure as council boss,’’

Oyebode stressed that it was common knowledge that the difference between Gross Allocation to local councils after FAAC and Net Distributable after JAAC was because of statutory deductions.

“It is important for serving and former public office holders to always demonstrate high sense of responsibility in their daily conduct and public engagements.

“They should be as truthful as possible and avoid mischief and unwarranted mudslinging as did Mrs Fajuyi.

“It is a shame that Mrs Fajuyi’s remarks have created the impression of unwholesome financial activities on the part of state officials,’’ Oyebode lamented.