The Secretary to the Lagos State Government, SSG, Tunji Bello
has expressed displeasure of the state government on the Federal
Government’s directive on local government’s financial autonomy and
direct allocation.
According to him, it negates the principle of true federalism as
the FG has no business in the management of council funds, adding
that this is the position of Lagos State Government and Lagosians
on the issue.
Bello made the remark on Monday in his office while responding
to a question by the team leader of the Senior Executive Course
(SEC), 41, 2019 of The National Institute for Policy and Strategic
Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, who are on a 5-day study
tour to the state, Dr. Nasirudeen Usman, Director of studies
NIPSS.
Usman was speaking on the new directive on council allocations
and its implication for universal healthcare delivery.
Bello said it was high time Federal government allowed true
federalism to play out as it is practiced in developed countries
like: United States of America, Canada, Australia, Germany, India
among others.
He said: “On the issue of LG funding, I disagree with the FG
because it has no business in dabbling into council’s
administration, it’s unfair. It’s completely a state matter.
Nigeria is running a federal system of government.
“Constitutionally, states should be allowed to run their
councils because it’s not the way councils are being run in Kano
they will be run in Lagos or Kwara State. Even, the way Mushin LGA
will get run in Lagos is not the way Surulere or Apapa council will
be run because they run on different terrain. States should be
allowed to determine their councils’ funds
“FG should give each state the council fund for appropriate
deployment of the fund with proper monitoring mechanism.
“This is one of the problems Nigeria is facing today. In a true
federalism there are responsibilities to be left in the hands of
the states to take charge.
“Even the issue of policing should be managed by the states. And
if the issue of insecurity in the country must be quickly and
effectively tackled, the states must take off with state
policing.
“The Armed forces, including the Police are overburden, they are
overstretched. It’s high time we looked at these matters and
address the issues squarely in the interest of Nigerians in the
long run,” Bello said.
Last week the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) issued
new guidelines on direct allocation of funds to the local
government without the interference of the states.
The spokesperson for the NFIU said with effect from June 1, any
bank that allows any transaction from any local government account
without the funds first reaching a particular local government
account will be sanctioned locally and internationally.
And that the Joint Account System in place will only exist for
the receipt of allocations but not disbursement, according to the
guidelines.
All financial transactions by local governments will be
registered and monitored by the NFIU through e-payment module.
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Ramadan: Kwara PDP Assembly Candidate Feeds 5,000
Muslims
Honourable Abdulmajeed Olanrewaju-Oba, the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, candidate for Kwara Assembly in the 2019 elections, has
fed over 5,000 Muslims in Ilorin and Surulere local government
areas of Kwara and Lagos States respectively.
PRNigeria reports that under the Olanrewaju Oba Foundation,
TOOF, the philanthropist have been providing free meal packs to
thousands of Muslims since the commencement of the month
Ramadan.
Speaking during one of the Iftar (fast-breaking) food
distribution sessions, Mr Olanrewaju-Oba disclosed that before the
end of the Ramadan month, he hoped to feed over 10,000 Muslims.
According to him, the decision to provide free meals to Ilorin
and Surulere residents stemmed from a realisation that many
families are undergoing serious economic hardship in the
country.
He noted that the feeding exercise would also help to provide
soothing relief to those who were finding it difficult to feed
during fasting and, at the same time, feed their families.
Honourable Olanrewaju-Oba said: “The religion of Al-Islam
exhorts the rich to always assist the needy, especially during the
month of Ramadan, because of the immense spiritual benefits that
will accrue to them.
“Those who are blessed financially should know that assisting
the needy and catering for the less privileged in this great month
will attract massive reward for them.”