Delta LGs to receive direct federal allocation, says NULGE president

The 25 Local Government Councils in Delta State are set for direct funding from the Federal Allocation as directed by the Supreme Court, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in the state, Ziko Okwudi, has disclosed.

The NULGE president stated this to our correspondent in Warri on Tuesday.

He said, “As far as Delta State is concerned, the Local Governments have no issues whatsoever regarding the Supreme Court judgement mandating Local Councils to open bank accounts for direct funding. Delta State is not like other states where the Local Government allocations are being tampered with.

“For Delta State, there are no issues. I don’t know which Local Government Councils are yet to fulfil the obligations. I know that following the declaration of that Supreme Court judgement, the State Governor made it very clear that they (Local Councils) should do everything possible and liaise with the Accountant General to obtain the criteria necessary for them to process and secure their direct funding.

“So, for Delta State, there are no issues here. Here in Delta State, it has been so far, so good with regard to Local Government financial autonomy. Thank God for Delta State. Thank God for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration. We have had a very harmonious relationship. When there is a shortfall, the State Governor has always done everything possible to ensure primary school teachers and local government workers are paid, irrespective of the shortfall.”

Speaking further Okwudi said that the state governor is ready to implement the Supreme Court judgement.

He said, “Following the declaration of financial autonomy granted to Local Governments by the Supreme Court, Governor Oborevwori, in his meeting with the Local Government Council chairmen, informed them about the new development and urged them to, within the three-month grace period granted by the apex court judgement, ensure that they hasten their actions so that they can prepare their accounts within the stipulated time frame to enable them to receive direct remittances into the Local Governments’ accounts upon the expiration of the notice. He added that Oborevwori was never against LG’s financial autonomy but was in support of it.

“The Governor is well disposed to it. He has never been opposed to it in the first place because, at that meeting, I vividly remember when the Council chairmen were even begging the Governor not to leave Local Government workers to their fate. After all, from the beginning, the State Government has always augmented the salaries of teachers and local government workers, especially whenever there are shortfalls, and the State Government has never stopped doing that.

“So, this development calls for a kind of relief on the part of the State Government. The Governor told the Council chairmen very clearly that ‘thank God, there is financial autonomy for local government workers.’ He counselled them and even provided them with all the criteria on how to meet the challenges of their direct funding by the expiration of the three months.

“So, if there is any Local Government Council in Delta that has yet to fulfil the process to enable them to receive their salaries, I don’t think it has anything to do with the State Governor because he himself is eager to facilitate their access. I know for sure that many times when we experienced shortfalls, the State Government has always augmented our funds to pay salaries. So, we don’t have issues in Delta State,” Okwudi added.