Edo to bail out 3 councils as LGs share N1.8bn

THE 18 local government councils in Edo State have received N1,777,639,808.24 from the federal allocation for the month of November, 2016 and absolved the state government of any interference with revenue accruing to local government areas.

Briefing journalists after the joint allocation committee meeting of local governments in the state held at the Government House, Benin City, the spokesman of the heads of local government administration and head of Esan South East Local Government Area,  Mr Macaulay Ehonor, said the local governments received N1,777,639,808.24, from the federal allocation for the month of November,  out of which the total mandatory deduction was N1,181,401,139.16.

“We have just held the joint allocation committee meeting of local governments in Edo State presided over by Governor Godwin Obaseki. The total allocation received by local governments in Edo State for the month of November and shared now in the month of December is  N1,777,639,808.24 .

“Of this amount, the total mandatory expenditure came up to N1,181,401,139.16,” he said.

He added that the bulk of the mandatory expenditure went into the payment of teachers’ salaries, while three local government areas namely, Oredo, Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode, received negative allocation and would have to look elsewhere for funds to meet their financial obligations.

He said arising from this development, Governor Obaseki has promised that the state will intervene to ensure that these local governments are able to meet some commitments to the staff of the affected local governments.

According to Ehonor, “The state government has also promised to assist the local governments to carry out an assessment of the economic potentials of each local government to see how viable each and every local government would be in the months to come.

“The local governments are also to carry out physical verification of teachers in their respective primary schools as soon as schools resume. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has also been sensitised by the state government towards this assignment.

“We are also advised to ensure that our marriage registries are functional and records from these marriage registries are updated on a monthly basis so as to be able to discharge effectively our constitutional responsibilities as regards marriages, births and deaths.

The deputy governor,  Mr  Philip Shaibu; the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Osarodion Ogie and the Head of Service (HoS) Mrs Gladys Idahor, were also present at the joint allocation committee meeting of local government councils.