CPC ACCUSES NIGER GOVT OF MISAPPROPRIATING STATE, LG ACCOUNT

 
MINNA - Congress for Progress Change, CPC, in Niger State, has accused the state government of 'mischievously applying and using as conduit pipe' the State, Local Joint Account to deny the 25 Local government Councils their statutory allocations thereby leaving the rural areas undeveloped.

State party Chairman, Alhaji Umar Shuaibu, who made this accusation while presenting certificates of return to the party candidates in the local government election slated for October, said the denial of the allocations had rendered the Local government administration unproductive.

The party said between 2007 and middle of last year, 'it is on record that the state government has collected N217, 165,938,580 as statutory allocation for Local government Councils only, adding that there is nothing to show for the amount collected.'

The Chairman described the ward development programme being carried out by the state government as a 'charade and deceit', alleging that the N3.425 billion claimed to have been expended on the ward development project across the state till June last year was a colossal waste.

'In fact, such monthly allocations are contrary to the financial regulations and a violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with regard the establishment of the Local government as the third tier of government and the joint account should therefore be abolished,' the Chairman declared.'