By Mohammed Yangida, Lafia Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state has abolished the Local Government Joint Account Committee operating in the state.
The account was being operated as “brothers keepers syndrome” where by the buoyant Local Government will assist the non-buoyant one with the money in their reserve to enable them paid their staffs salaries.
Al-makura announced this on Saturday during a joint account and allocation committee meeting (JAAC) with the 13 Local Government chairmen and some critical stakeholders in Lafia the state capital.
The Governor explained that the decision to abolish the joint account committee was aimed at finding solutions to re-occurring delay and shortfalls in the salaries of the local government workers and also to bring to an end insinuations going around to stigmatize his Government that state government operates an account with the local government.
According to him local Government in the state will henceforth get exactly what is accrued to them from the federation account as stipulated by the constitution in accordance with the laws governing local Government.
He therefore, reminded the chairmen to ensure proper use of the bailout fund that meant to settle all the outstanding salaries of the local Government workers.
As according to him ” every local Government should ensure proper distribution and allocation of fund in accordance with the laws, and whenever the money is short chairmen should know where to place their blames to “Almakura said.
The governor who also maintained that the N4.3 billion bailout fund was only to save for two and half months, added “50 percent for the month of July, 100 percent for the month of August and another 100 percent for the month of September,saying what local Government is getting for the month of October is only N1.3 billion as against 2.3 billion, so the local government chairmen should start thinking on how to pay October salaries “he said.
Therefore, he called on local government chairmen in the state to boost their revenue generating sources in order to augment the lean allocation from the federation account.
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, chairman Lafia local government, Suleiman Wambai who doubles as ALGON chairman Nasarawa state chapter commended Governor Umaru Al-Makura for the bold steps he has taken in abolishing the joint account also pledged to ensure that the ongoing screening of local Government staffs yield good results.
