By Daniel Edu
Governor Abiodun clarified that his administration had not diverted funds meant for the local governments; rather, they had provided additional funds to support the local council chairmen in fulfilling their financial obligations.
The Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area in Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, had accused Governor Abiodun of diverting both statutory allocations and over ten billion naira from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds. Adedayo also claimed that the constitutionally mandated 10% of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) intended for the local governments had not been received since Abiodun assumed office.
Governor Abiodun’s Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran, issued a statement clarifying that the Local Government (LG) funds were managed by the constitutionally recognized Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC). The JAAC ensures that the local council chairmen receive the necessary financial allocations to ensure smooth functioning.
Governor Abiodun highlighted that substantial amounts, such as N4.531 billion, N4.444 billion, and N4.497 billion, were shared among the 20 local government areas in May, June, and July 2023, respectively. Additionally, N5.2 billion was recently allocated to the local governments for August.
The JAAC comprises essential stakeholders in local government administration, including the Chief Economic Adviser to the governor, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Accountant General of the State, Permanent Secretary of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, all 20 local government chairmen, representatives from the state’s four Traditional Councils, and representatives from various organizations such as SUBEB, NULGE, local government pensioners, retired primary school teachers, Local Government Service Commission, Local Government Pension Commission, and NUT.
The statement concluded by emphasizing that the JAAC holds regular meetings to ensure meticulous discussions and appropriate allocation of funds to the local governments.
