Friday, February 12, 2016

Bello grants financial autonomy to local govts





Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, has abolished arbitrary deductions from the allocations of Local Government Councils in the state, thereby granting them financial autonomy. Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State Bello who frowned at various deductions from the council allocations by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said the state laws could not override the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Speaking during a meeting with the local government chairmen, the governor directed the ministry to submit its running cost to his office and stop exploiting the Local Government Councils. A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kingsley Fanwo, after the meeting, said Bello told the council Chairmen to ensure that pensioners and teachers were paid their pensions and salaries this month. According to the statement: “The governor urged the Chairmen to ensure Council workers are promptly paid their full wages, warning against profligacy, saying the Chairmen must account for every penny received from the Federation Account.” He also tasked the Chairmen to execute projects that would impact positively on the people of the state, reiterating his desire to visit Local Government Areas to inaugurate projects.”

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