The Chairman of Ondo State chapter of the All Local Governments of Nigeria, Mr Donald Fasua, on Friday denied an allegation that the state government was diverting the council funds, by some of his members.
Media reports indicated that some of the chairmen had alleged that the state government had released only N4million of the N600 million monthly allocation entitled to each council from Federation Account Allocation Committee, saying the development had hindered their ability to perform.
The chairmen, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue, said after the FAAC allocation was released, they were compelled by the state government to return a substantial part of the funds to the account of the Ministry of Local Government.
One of them said, “We are made to return the substantial part of the funds into the Ministry of Local Government account, while we are left with N4 million.
“In the last FAAC for June, some local governments received N644 million, N590 million and N405 million. You can verify this from the BudgIT website.
“We are still currently under the supervision of the state government. We were told that the state government is still managing our funds due to some responsibilities, such as primary healthcare, basic education, and the funding of Amotekun.”
However, the ALGON chairman who is also the chairman of Akure South Local Government Area of the state, described the allegations as untrue, saying the council bosses were solely in charge of the LG allocation and they had been using the allocation to develop their respective local governments.
Speaking with our correspondent in a telephone interview, Fasua said, “It is not true. The governor is not diverting our funds. Since we got to office, we begun the necessary development in the local governments.
“For instance, in my local government of Akure South, I bought 10 vehicles in my five months in office unlike other previous administrations.
“Go to the local government and see the projects that are ongoing in the LGAs of the state.
“Road and water projects are scattered everywhere in the local government areas of the state. When it comes to LG administration, we are solely the one in charge of our funds and that is the truth.
“So, if the governor is the one dictating our funds, how come we’re achieving this much, and people are applauding us with the things we have been able to do with the funds?
“There is so much we have been able to do. We have achieved a lot and we can begin to count. We are the ones in charge of our finances.”
Similarly, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Amidu Takuro, berated the council chairmen for insincerity, stating that they were aware of the arrangement.
“If anybody is not in that agreement, he should come up openly. We are all under the same political party, under the leadership of somebody.
“What the government has been doing for them is a unanimous decision. It is not something enforced on anybody,” he said.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of longstanding debates over financial autonomy for local governments in Nigeria.
Despite a Supreme Court judgment in July affirming the constitutional independence of local councils and barring governors from tampering with their allocations, many state governments have continued to exercise control over council funds through joint account arrangements.
The latest disagreement within Ondo ALGON highlights the lingering tension between state authorities and local government chairmen over financial control and accountability.
