Local Government Autonomy: LGs will begin to receive direct funds soon -Dare

The federal government has disclosed that local government areas in the country will from early this year receive their allocation directly from the Federal Allocation Account Committee (FAAC).

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, who spoke on Arise TV Thursday night, said this is one of the bold steps being taken by President Tinubu to ensure local government autonomy.

It is recalled that the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment last year ruled that state’s retention of the local government funds is unconstitutional.

Dare stated that direct payment to the councils would begin soon.

In his words…”We have a President who wants to ensure local government autonomy. I spoke to a local government chairman, who said, wao…I will be getting N2.9bn, instead of the N200m I was getting before. From the end of this month, the local governments will receive their money directly.”

Dare was quick to point out that with more money going to the states and local governments, development should be fast tracked at those levels.

He cited an example of a state that collected N499bn last year, which is four times bigger than what it was previously getting.

“The framers of our constitution, who said we should have the federal, state and local governments did so for a reason. We now have a President who wants to ensure that what is in the constitution is implemented.”

Dare stressed that the development of the country should not just be about what the federal government is doing insisting that the radar should also be beamed at the states and local governments.

“The Federal Government collects the allocation, it doesn’t take 100 per cent, but distributes it. We have to find out what the states and local governments are doing with their allocation.

“So we should put our radar on the states and local governments and, of course, the Federal Government has its own responsibilities,” he said.