“Local Governments Allocation Intact” …Kwara Govt.

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Kwara State government said last week that funds allocated to the third tier level of government are administered by the respective executive chairmen  through the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) which are made to be  in accordance with the parameters set by law without any interference. Global Excellence gathered that the clarification came on the heels of the allegations made by the APC guber candidate, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, that the state government was guilty of diversion of local government funds.  The state government, however, described the allegations as false, submitting that it neither diverts nor interferes with the local government finances. The government in a statement by  Dr. Muyideen Akorede also faulted the submission by the APC governorship candidate that the joint project account was responsible for the low level of development and poverty at the local government level. The drop in the federal allocation to the local government councils was according to the state government the causative agent and one of the reasons for salary crisis and the unfortunate hardship being experienced by the local government workers and the pensioners in the state  are recorded .   The government also attributed the relative lack of development at the local government level to the same drop in allocation to the local councils as the current inflows barely cover basic obligations, leaving no room for development projects. The state government also clarified that while the state-local government joint projects account accelerated infrastructure development at the local council levels, the scheme was stopped years ago following the sustained reductions in the federal allocations on account of the drop in global oil prices. The scheme, it said, could therefore not be responsible for the current challenges referred to by the governorship candidate. While urging Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak to refrain from misleading pronouncements about governance in the state, the state government equally emphasized that it has regularly supported local governments to meet their obligations including augmenting shortfalls in their allocation. The interventions include; loans, releasing a significant proportion of revenue inflows such as the Paris Club refunds and the monthly disbursement of ten per cent of the internal revenue generated by the state to the local government councils.