The thorny issues of the joint account run by the State government on behalf of the local government came to the fore as the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON) yesterday demanded the scrapping of the state joint local government Account Allocation Committee, insisting that monthly allocation should be allocated to them directly from the federation account.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, however disagreed, advocating instead that states should set up a body to deal with the allocation of all monies meant for Local governments.
These and more were the high points at the two-day National Public hearing on the review of the 1999 constitution in Abuja, which ended yesterday.
However, under the President Olusegun Obasanjo-led government state government latching unto a provision in the constitution established a joint account between the State and local governments, which they operated.
Angered by the flaccid state of the local governments, the National President of ALGON, Hon. Nwabueze Okafor lamented that states governments are practically choking the life out of local governments in the country by starving them of funds thereby hindering development at the grassroot level.
Beyond advocating that the constitution should be amended to give full recognition to local government as a separate tier of government he said “the national Assembly should abolish the state joint local government Allocation; and provide for direct allocation and disbursement of local government funds from the Federation Account to the respective councils.
Further more, a mandatory clause should be provided in the constitution to compel state governments to make available to local councils their share of state Internally Generated Revenue as stipulated in the constitution.
“The constitution should specify a fixed tenure of 4 years single-tenure for elected chairmen and councilors; and make full provisions for the impeachment and suspension of elected council officials as is applicable at the federal and state levels.
” the Federal Government should continue to exercise the power to create local councils.
He bemoaned that over 75 percent of local councils in the country are being run by caretakers as appointed by state governors, stressing that the way out of the reluctance of state governments to conduct council elections is for Local Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct their polls.
He maintained that the removal of the State Independent Electoral Commission which he characterised as an apparatus of state governments, was long over due adding that “their outcome is very poor level of intergrity, resulting in questionable election results, outright rigging and all manner of electoral malpractices and fraud”
The Attorney General of the Federation stated that “there should be a section of the constitution that allows the states to have a body to do with the allocation of all monies meant for the local governments”
Represented by Mr. Patrick Etta he said “the monies should be shared according to a set formular based on population, infrastruture, health, education and other indices that may exist with each Local government of the state. The number of such committee shall be appointed for a fixed tenure which may be renewed for another term and such members cannot be removed before the expiration of their tenure unless for special circumstance like serious health condition, criminal conviction or gross misconduct”.
He nonetheless agreed with ALGON that INEC should conduct all local government elections to ensure uniform, fairness.
He also refused constitutional role for traditional rules.
He in effect said “the status quo be maintained as inclusion of traditional institutions in the constitution will make them more involved in politics.”
He supported that the Land Use Act, NYSC Act and the Code of Conduct Acts to remain as extant Acts of national assembly.