ACTIVIST URGES SENATE TO ABROGATE STATE, L.G JOINT ACCOUNT

The Chairman of Society for the Enforcement of Peoples Rights, Mr. Osita Umezulike has urged the Senate to join the House of Representatives to debate the bill for financial autonomy for state and local government system in the country.

According to Mr. Umezulike, the joint account had been the bane of development of local governments in Nigeria because, various state governments hijacked developmental funds allocated to the council and diverted same to their private pockets.

He disclosed that some state governors had been tampering with council funds thereby leavingg the local government with zero allocation which according to him, had led to lack of development.

The rights activist also posited that most local government in the country could not perform because funds allocated to them were being withheld and diverted by most state governors.

'I am urging the Senate to rise to the challenge and remedy this in order to ensure development at the grassroots level.  They should resist pressures from various state governors not to act, let them know that Nigerians want them to rescue grassroots governance, he said.

On the review of revenue formula, Mr. Umezulike said that the current revenue formula did not favour development of the grassroots governance which according to him, remained the basis to reach the rural areas.

He advocated that the Federal Government should cut down its revenue share in favour of the local government, adding that it would usher in development at the grassroots level.