By Taiwo Adeyemi
An Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organization, Elites Network for Sustainable Development, ENETSUD has called on Nigerians to start monitoring allocations and demands for accountability from their local government leaders.
ENETSUD’s Deputy Co-ordinator, Comrade Lanre Osho made the call while featuring as a guest on Diamond FM, Ilorin, Kwara State weekly Yoruba Language News amd Current Affairs programme “Gbagede Ajoro”.
Comrade Lanre Osho, Deputy Director ENETSUD
Photo Source: enetsud.org
It will be recalled that the Supreme Court on Thursday, July 11th, 2024 declared that it is unconditional for the state government to receive local government allocations.
In a lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court observed that the refusal of state government on financial autonomy for local governments has gone on for over two decades.
While reacting to the Supreme Court judgement, Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrasaq Abudulraman said the judgement has come as a relief to State Governors because they carry burden of the local governments in their States.
Abudulraman said “most of the local government will start paying workers and traditional rulers salary”.
Osho reiterated that Anti-Corruption Agencies, Civil Societies, Media and Citizens must come together to monitor monthly allocations to each local government.
He said “each local government must published monthly allocation and people at the grassroots must demand for accountability”.
“Once you noticed that a local government chairman is living above his means, people must petition Anti-Corruption Agencies to start investigating the chairman”.
Osho also tackled the Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum, Abudulraman for the statement credited to him that most local governments can’t survive burden of workers and traditional rulers salary.
“People should ignore Governor Abdulrasaq Abudulraman, let each local government publish workers overhead cost and monthly allocation”.
“It is an aberration using allocation of one local government to compliment allocation of another local government”.
“This is a clarion call on people at the grassroots to elect capable hands to direct the affairs of the local governments, those that can’t survive, should look for means of generating revenue”.
He furthered that each local government chairman should be careful of giving out council funds to Governors.
“Since fund is being paid to the account of the local governments directly, Anti-Corruption Agencies will come after the council heads, not Governors”.
Full programme link: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/zDxLwS16QA7ajbpV/?mibextid=qi2Omg