We’re not opposed to LG autonomy -Delta Govt.

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

The Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Chief David Edevbie, has said that Delta State Government is not among states against granting of financial autonomy to local government council.
The commissioner who spoke to the media on Tuesday alongside his Information counterpart, Chief Patrick Ukah at a post exco briefing held at the Ministry of Information Conference Hall, said that the position had become necessary, because unlike others who take from the local government, the Delta State had supported the councils financially on several occasions.
Chief Edevbie recalled the N5 billion given as grant to the local governments in 2018 as assistance to meet up thier employees’ backlogs salaries adding that the state government also assisted the councils in the month of February this year with the N348 million to cover arrears owed with respect to teachers.
According to him, in November 2015 the state government provided a grant of N3.6 billion which was a loan given to the local government initially but that Exco had converted it to a grant, saying that this means that the local government would not have to pay back the loan to the state government.
“This is how much the state government has been of assistance to the local government, it is the opposite of what happens elsewhere where money is taken from local government.” Chief Edevbie stated.
The Finance Commissioner who stated that he personally believed in the position of the National Financial Intelligence Uinit (NFIU) to see the councils be granted financial autonomy, which the unit believed would check corruption, however advised that the body should be guided by Section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution which made probation for a joint account between for state and local government council.
“We have fully complied with the law. We immediately transfer to state/LG joint account as soon as allocation comes,” Chief Edevbie stated, adding that the state government had been supportive and would continue to be even some other authorities desired to give councils financial autonomy.