Ogun governor supports councils’ autonomy, to create LCDAs
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun yesterday threw his weight behind Local Government autonomy, insisting that Governors who are against it are those who plan to, illegally deduct money from the councils’ monthly allocation.
Amosun who spoke to journalists in Abeokuta on his first day of resumption of office for his second term, hinted that his administration would soon create Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) from the existing 20 Local government areas.
His words, “I support President Muhammadu Buhari on this local government autonomy. We are creating Local Council Development Areas”.
“The autonomy issue is in my interest. Some Governors said that
granting autonomy to LGAs (Local Government Areas) is not going to favour them. Those Governors that say the autonomy thing will not favour are those Governors that deduct from local government allocation from the Federal allocation”.
He however added, “Truly, what is coming from the federal allocation is no longer enough. There is no money. For me, this development will even put more challenge on the LG and LCDAs”.
According to him, “If they (LGAs) want autonomy, let them take their autonomy. If they can’t pay salaries, they won’t come back to me. If they can’t pay teachers or embark on developmental projects, they will know that they are the ones that cannot pay and not the State”.
“But, I want to say here that the way it is, they cannot pay salaries.
If they have the autonomy they are craving for, definitely they will be on their own completely. But as it is, things will collapse, because the council areas do not have the wherewithal to generate funds, because they don’t have the platform for it”, the Governor added.
Amosun said, “They need the support of the States, that has been my experience since I became the Governor. They don’t have enough to pay their salaries. I don’t understand when people accuse State Governments of deducting their allocations”.
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1 Comments
Fellow Nigerians………Governor Amosun’s support for the autonomy of Local Governments is very welcome. However, it must be noted that Local Government Chairmen and their Councilors are becoming too powerful and have not been managing the resources and allocations they receive for the purpose for which it is meant. Most of them have become semi-gods. They embezzle most of the funds that come in. They should have enough. All they do is to share the funds that come into their coffers and nothing is done by way of infrastructural development at the local government levels. Most LGA’s collect enough revenue but there is no accountability. Being very close to the grass root, they should be under the watchful eyes of the state government to ensure that developments reach the people that elected them into office. They should care about the people!!!
We will review and take appropriate action.