Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called for a review of the existing revenue allocation formula in favour of states and local governments to reflect the current socio-economic realities in the country.
Okowa made the call when he received the National Executive Council members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria led by the National President, Kolade Alabi, who were on a courtesy visit to the governor on Thursday in Asaba.
The governor said that the review of the revenue formula had become expedient in view of the huge responsibilities facing states and local governments in the country.
He said, “I believe that local government administration must be autonomous and here in Delta, we have never tampered with their funds, rather we assist them and provide bailout funds for them on a monthly basis to augment their payment of salaries.
“We have generally, as a nation, made local government administration take up serious responsibilities like payment of local government council staff and primary school teachers’ salaries without providing the necessary funds for them.
“We need to have a re-work of the revenue allocation formula because none of the arms of government should shy away from that.”
Earlier, the ALGON President said the group was in Delta for its national executive council meeting and added that the choice of the state was in recognition of Okowa’s accomplishments in local government administration.
