Most Local Government Councils in North East are yet to be granted full financial autonomy in spite of directive by Federal Government that they should be allowed to operate separate bank accounts.
A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicated that whereas Local Councils in Gombe and Jigawa operated separate accounts, those in Borno, Bauchi and Adamawa operated in a different manner.
Commenting, Malam Adamu Ibrahim, Secretary, Bauchi Chapter, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), said Local Councils in the state were not financially autonomous.
Ibrahim said in Bauchi that the financial autonomy directed by the federal government was not fully implemented in the state, and that his union was not comfortable with the development.
“The state government controls the fund from federal allocation through the Ministry for Local Government Affairs, but without joint account.
“The disbursement of funds for salaries and other projects is being controlled by the Ministry, through some commercial banks.
“This is because the councils are manned by Caretaker Committees and not elected officials,” he said.
Ibrahim said that the union had been clamouring for election into the local councils as well as council’s financial autonomy for a very long time.
The NULGE secretary said although the 20 Local Councils in the state had been allowed to operate separate accounts, the funds were being controlled by the state government through their banks.
In Adamawa, Mr Hamma-Jumba Gatugel, the state NULGE Chairman, insisted that all the 21 local government councils had opened separate independent financial account as directed.
Gatugel, said that the local government financial autonomy had been granted by the state government.
He, however, said that monthly Joint Account meeting between councils and state government was still being held to discuss issues of statutory deductions such as teachers’ salaries, pension fund, primary healthcare and training fund, among others.
He noted that the joint account meeting was different from previous system because after the statutory deductions, the councils had full control over the remaining fund in their accounts.
Malam Abddulahi Danlami, a former councilor with Yola North local government council, observed that in spite of the financial autonomy, the councils could not be said to be absolutely autonomous as state governors decided who become a council chairman.
Also speaking, Mr Abubakar Abdulsalam, the President of Progressives Mind for Development (PMDI), a Civil Society Organisation(CSO), noted that in Adamawa, the deductions were many, leaving the councils with almost nothing for projects.
Citing the month of February as an example, he revealed that the 21 councils in the state got a total of N3.2 billion allocation from the Federation Account, but shared only N595 million, while the remaining N2.6 billion covered deductions.
Similarly, Borno NULGE Chairman, Malam Mustapha Bulama, said that the state was still operating joint account with the local councils because the law establishing state and local government councils Joint Account, was yet to be amended.
The Chairman who commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly (NASS) for the decision to grant financial autonomy to the councils, said Nigerians had long expected it.
Mr Mibahu Basirka, Coordinator, Jigawa Human Right Network, a CSO, said that all the 27 local councils in the state had opened, and were operating separate accounts as directed by the federal government.
“Honestly all the 27 councils have opened separate accounts, only that there are joint projects being executed between the councils and state government.
“So if they receive their allocation, they withdraw from their account and give their contributions officially.
“The deduction is not made from source by the state government concerning the joint projects. They give officially by themselves.
“These are legitimate projects where the state government pays seventy per cent, while the councils pay thirty per cent.
“This is done only when there is a project jointly undertaken by the state government and the councils.
“It is when they receive their allocation in their individual accounts that they withdraw and lodge the required amount in the joint account meant for the joint project, not that the state government directly deducting the money from source,” Basirka said.
In Gombe state, Alhaji Muhammad Abdulmumini, the state NULGE Chairman
Said 11 local councils have opened separate accounts apart from joint account system,as directed by the federal government.
According to him, all the councils have started receiving their allocations directly from federal government.
Mr Abdullahi Inuwa, a legal practitioner in Gombe, commended federal government for the directive on separate accounts for local councils.
He said granting financial autonomy to local councils in the country would pave way for development at the grassroots
