The Executive Chairmen of Igboeze North Local Government Areas of Enugu State, Comrade Uwakwe Ezeja has called for upward review of the Federal Government’s revenue allocation to the third tier of government in Nigeria.
The chairman said that while introducing the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, Act which grants financial autonomy to the third tier of government was commendable, its impact would be better felt if allocations to the councils are increased.
He said that though the introduction of the NFIU by the Federal Government was intended to among other things, allow the LGs to operate without any form of interference, the allocation they receive is not enough for them to carry out projects in their councils.
The council chairman spoke while receiving a Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ) who visited the councils on a Good Governance Tour.
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In his remarks, Ezeja said that despite the lean allocations, the council was able to pay the hospital bill of more than 60 indigent patients, engaged 300 youths to reduce unemployment, built new administrative block and stopped the incidence of ritual killings in the council through highly funded and motivated security architecture put in place.
“It is sad to note that despite the autonomy, the council does not get enough money to execute projects. We spend 85% of the money anytime it comes for payment of workers salary and pensions and when we are done paying the whole workers, we are left with almost nothing to work with,” he said.
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