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Tag: local govts

  • Fed Govt, states, local govts share N510.270b

    Fed Govt, states, local govts share N510.270b

    Disbursements to the three tiers of government jumped to N510.270 billion for August.

    At the end of the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, the Federal Government received N149.310 billion, the states got N75.732 billion, local governments pocketed N58.386 billion while N20.293 billion was shared as 13 per cent mineral revenue derivation.

    Also shared were proceeds from the Value Added Tax (VAT) from which the Federal Government received N10.939 billion, states N36.462 billion and local governments N25.523 billion. An additional N84.263 billion was shared as exchange gains, N35 billion as excess petroleum profit tax (PPT) while N6.330 billion was refunded to the government by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The balance to make up the N510.270 billion was what was given to the collecting agencies as cost of collection. Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) got N4.033 billion, FIRS N4.663 billion, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) N2.627 billion.

    Addressing reporters at the end of the meeting, Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said the gross statutory revenue of N315.045 billion received for the month was higher than the N287.819 billion received in the previous month by N27.226 billion.

    She added that crude oil export volume increased by 2.2 million barrels in May,  despite the brief force majeure declared at Qua Iboe and Bonny terminals and a subsisting force majeure at Forcados Termibal.

    Other terminals also experienced problem of shut-in and shut-down of pipelines for repairs and maintenance. However, revenue was boosted with the $109.40 million accruals in export sales as a result of the increase in average price of crude oil from $42.21 in April to $46.06 per barrel in May.

    A rise in the volume of dutiable imports contributed significantly to the increase recorded by import duty and VAT while the increase in PPT collections was attributed to receipts from National Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Joint Venture operators. The exchange rate regime, the minister said, “helped boost revenue for the current revenue including oil and gas royalty’’.

    She also announced that he Excess Crude Account (ECA)  stands at $2.9 billion.

  • Fed Govt, states, local govts share N559.032b for June

    After many months of weak disbursements, the three tiers of government yesterday shared N559.032 billion for June.

    This is the first time the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) is sharing such an amount which the state governments said will allow them to pay salaries and meet other financial obligations.

    The federal, states and local governments had shared N305.128 billion for May and N281.5 billion for April.

    Minister of Finance Mrs KemiAdeosun told reporters at the end of the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja that the appreciation in the money shared for June came in spite of the country’s technically entery into recession.

    A breakdown of the disbursements showed that from statutory allocation, the Federal Government received N199.754 billion, state governments N101.318 billion, local governments N78.112 billion and N17.124 billion was given to the oil producing states as 13 per cent mineral revenue derivation.

    For Value Added Tax (VAT) the Federal Government received N9.706 billion, states N32.353 billion and local governments N22.647 billion.

    MrsAdeosun attributed the increase in what was shared for June to improved collection performance by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

    The improved performance from the non-oil revenue generating agencies, the minister said “shows that some of the reforms in revenue collection is improving significantly.”

    On the economy, MrsAdeosun reiterated her earlier remarks to the Senate that the country was technically into recession but assured Nigerians that there was no cause to panic as “the fundamentals remain strong and if we can be disciplined on what we spend money on; if we stick to the reforms, things will improve.”

    Adeosun also said N247.9 billion has so far been disbursed from the 2016 budget with an additional N60 billion to be disbursed this week. So far in the last two months, N74 billion has been given to the Federal Ministry of Works, N22.1 billion to Transport Ministry and N21.9 billion to the Ministry of Agriculture.

    Mrs Adeosun said the government was looking for money to fund the next batch of releases.

    The finance minister also announced that $3.094 billion is now left in the Excess Crude Account, an appreciation from the over $2 billion in the account last month.

  • Rivers rerun: No new date yet for eight local govts

    Rivers rerun: No new date yet for eight local govts

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday cancelled the election in two more councils in the Rivers State re-run parliamentary election. This brings to eight the number of local governments with cancelled results.

    The two local governments are those of Etche and Asari Toru.

    The commission is yet to fix a new date for the polls.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)  Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, who announced the cancellation, said: “Please note that this suspension of the rerun election by INEC is necessitated by the need to forestall breakdown of law and order or loss of lives and property in the event of further aggravation of crisis.”

    The electoral agency on Saturday cancelled election in six local governments – Khana, Bonny, Gokana, Andoni, Tai, and Eleme. INEC conducted elections in 22 of the 32 state House of Assembly seats, 12 of the 13 House of Representatives seats and three senatorial districts.

  • ‘Why people think local govts are not working’

    ‘Why people think local govts are not working’

    Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Executive Secretary Olusegun Jubril yesterday debunked claims that local governments and LCDAs are not working.

    According to him, with the meagre resources at his council’s disposal, many residents want it to perform miracle.

    “It is impossible for us to do more than what the revenue we generate and the one from the Federal Government can cover. Most of the projects people expected us to do are capital intensive, hence the need to prioritise some of their demands based on the importance to the community at large,” he said.

    Jubril spoke during the budget retreat for the heads of departments at the council secretariat in Isolo.

    He said a stakeholders’ forum on the 2016 budget had been held with the council residents to get their input into the budget.

    “We have already done that. We have done the elaborate one before where we called all the stakeholders and asked for their needs in order to insert it in the budget. We did it two months ago. This one we are doing now is the budget proper; we are collating what we got from the people that came for the stakeholders’ forum on the budget.

    “They spoke out their minds in terms of what they want from us. Some of their requirements are Public Health Centre (PHC), construction of drainage, road construction and rehabilitation, among others,” he said.

    The council chief said some of the inputs were also part of his administration’s priorities, adding: “We have been doing it gradually. The roads of which they made mention, thanks to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for approving construction of 114 roads in all local governments and LCDAs. Apart from that, we have been doing some other roads. We have tarred the road at Ilasamaja, Adegbite Street to be precise. We are constructing a block of 12 classrooms at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School. We have also enhanced some of our PHCs with equipment. Our environmental sanitation days are going normal.

    “We have done the little we can based on the revenue generated. The only problem we are having is the shortfall in allocations. The little we received, we are managing it and we are doing our work as it is supposed to be done.”

    He allayed fear of a budget logjam at the House of Assembly during the defence of the proposal.

  • ‘Don’t allow local govts pay teachers’ salaries’

    ‘Don’t allow local govts pay teachers’ salaries’

    The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has reiterated its calls on the Federal Government not to allow local governments to be in-charge of paying primary school teachers’ salaries.

    The union said the call became necessary  due to its fears and  concerns over the capability of local government councils and their leaders to pay salaries of primary school teachers, given the history of the councils’  inability  to carry out this responsibility in the past.

    National President of the NUT, Comrade Alogba Olukoya said this at a press conference in Abuja.

    According to him,  the NUT views the stance of Mr. President to strengthen the local government system as a step in the right direction, believing that such an effort will give the needed impetus to the third tier of government to carry out its statutory responsibilities for the overall benefit of the people.

    “However, we wish to use this opportunity to draw the attention of President Buhari to our age -long fears and concerns about the capability of local government councils and the political will of their leaders to pay salaries of primary school teachers in the country given the history of total failure of the councils to carry out this responsibility in the past. We recall with nostalgia the horrifying experience of primary school teachers between 1990 and 1994 when primary school education was under the control of the local government,” he said.

  • APC chieftain lauds Amosun on creation of local govts

    APC chieftain lauds Amosun on creation of local govts

    Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Olamikekan Bakare has praised Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s plan to create additional  councils.

    He said the initiative will speed up development and enhance grassroots politics. Bakare, who  hails from Imobi, Ijebu East District, said the existing local governments are inadequate to enhance the quality of life.

    He said: “I so much believe in the governor’s initiative because breaking the local government areas into smaller units will definitely allow developments to spread to the rural areas which to me, mean that the governor has his people at mind and it is a welcome development.”

    Bakare urged members of the National Assembly to work for the progress of the country to avoid electoral protest by voters.

    He said: “Our senators and members of the House of Representatives should stop playing politics at this period when Nigerians are expecting good governance as promised by the APC government. The nation’s interest should be more paramount to the legislators than their personal interests.

    “Our legislators must be serious and get set for business of governance rather than fighting unnecessary cause, Nigerians are full of expectations of good governance as promised by the APC government. And I expect our people to have prepared themselves for this course. Our party, APC must not fail Nigerians because it’s the hope of the nation at this period.”

    Bakare advised Nigerians to be patient with the President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that his six weeks in office has brought more improvement to the country.

     

  • Lagos partners local govts to stop drainage blockage

    The Lagos State Government  will involve local government chairmen and Community Development Associations (CDAs) in ensuring that drainage channels are not blocked in the state.

    The effort will also help sensitise the people and discourage them from dumping refuse in canals.

    Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Ayodeji Adenekan, who spoke while leading officials of the Office of Drainage Services, Lagos State Ministry of Environment, on an enlightenment tour and inspection of drainage across the state, urged residents to be conscious of their environment and cultivate the habit of proper disposal of waste.

    “Any waste that is not well disposed will return and constitute a nuisance to the neighbourhood,” he said.

    At the Morkaz/Awori collector drain in Dopemu-Agege, beside Salvation Army Nursery and Primary School and Dopemu Nursery and Primary School on Surulere Street, the drain was filled with pet bottles and other refuse, causing major impediments to free flow of flood.

    Drain workers were seen collecting from the canal. A resident, Kazeem, said the pet bottles must have come from other sources in the neighbourhood where there are markets.

    But Adenekan explained that canals flow across the state, stressing that the refuse found in one place does not mean that they were generated there.

    At the drainage in Shyllon Street, Onipanu, drainage cleaners were at work, clearing and repairing a damaged underground drainage on Ikorodu Road near the Shyllon junction.

    The inspection train moved to Oko-Oba primary channel,  which crosses Oyatoki Street at Oko-Oba Agege.

    “Anytime there was heavy rain, the channel will no longer be able to contain the water and it will begin to overflow causing flood as far as four houses.This recent flood was so much that it nearly drowned   a nursing mother but for the help of people around,” Kafayat, a resident, said.

    Adenekan, however, explained that the incident was a ‘flash-flood’ which happens occasionally when there is heavy rain whose volume of water was beyond the capacity of a channel; but after some hours, it will disappear.

    He said: “This situation is not peculiar to Lagos or Nigeria alone; hence it is called flash-flood.

    “The rain was falling more than the canal was flowing and normally with a flash –flood you find out that within a few hours the water will clear up.”

    The Permanent Secretary assured the residents of government’s readiness to find solutions to the problem. He cautioned them to desist from dumping refuse in the gutter or canal indiscriminately.

    Adenekan advised residents that patronise cart-pushers to desist from it because their actions constitute nuisance and threat to the efforts of the government at improving the environment because cart pushers do not have anywhere to dump their refuse but will wait till night and dump it in the canals.

    Rather, he said, residents should patronise the P.S.P operators who are licenced to collect refuse.

    “The message is that everybody should be on the alert, should watch over this canal, not only that you should not dump refuse in the canal but you should be on the alert to watch people who will do it and caution them not to dump refuse in the canal so that all of us can live peacefully,” he said.

     

  • Rivers APC: Wike lacks power to dissolve local govts

    Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Governor Nyesom Wike lacks the power to dissolve the elected local government areas.

    A statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by the state’s APC Chairman Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said: “We are aware that Chief Nyesom Wike claims to have read Law though he never practised this noble profession for one single day and may, therefore, not know the position of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on this issue.

    “We, therefore, wish to advise him to find time to read the relevant portions of the Constitution and educate himself on his lack of powers to dissolve local government areas duly elected by the Rivers people.

    “If he claims that he has the powers to dissolve the local government areas, he is invariably saying that the Federal Government has powers to dissolve his ‘illegal’ government without following due process.

    “Any such action by Wike will not only be an exercise in futility but would be in clear contempt of court, as the issue is currently before the Port Harcourt Federal High Court …and the Court of Appeal…

    “Besides, the Supreme Court …has severally ruled that governors lack the powers to sack elected local government areas, as in the case of the removal of 148 elected local government areas by the Abia State Government in 2006 and the subsequent Court of Appeal judgments on Imo and Ekiti states in 2012 and 2013, where it was held that such actions by governors amounted to ‘executive rascality’.”R

  • Involve local govts in war against corruption, says don

    Involve local govts in war against corruption, says don

    Former Dean, Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Oyelowo Oyewo, has said that there was need for local governments in the country  to be involved in the fight against corruption.

    He gave this suggestion while delivering a lecture entitled: Promoting Transparency and Accountability at the Local Government/Community level’, at a one-day training/interactive seminar, on the role of local government in the fight against corruption. It was  organised by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in collaboration with Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

    Prof. Oyewo argued that the local government system is not immuned from the system of bad governance, a phenomenon which he noted  has been entrenched in the system.

    “Transparency suggests that public office holders should be open while carrying out the business of governance. It is sad, that government officials spend money on things that are irrelevant.

    “The Lagos State government remains a model in the aspect of transparency and accountability. It has even passed what it termed the public finance law. But what is not clear is whether the state government has begun implementation of same at other levels.

    “The legislative regime in existence today is counterproductive to the Nigerian political process,” he noted.

    The Professor of law however urged Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, to ensure the use of card readers in the coming local government elections across the country.

    Also speaking on the role of local government in promoting citizens access to justice, a professor of public law from Unilag, Professor Ayo Atsenuwa expressed sadness that Nigerians have been ambushed by agents of government.

    She explained that the essence of the local government system is to get citizens to participate in government.

    Earlier in his remarks, former Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Babatunde Ogala maintained that for every corrupt political office holder, there is a civil servant aiding him or her.

    He further maintained that corruption has eaten deep into the foundation of the country, just as he called on Nigerians to rise up and fight the manace to a standstill.

    In his welcome address, SERAP’S Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni explained that the training/interactive seminar is aimed  at bringing together local government representatives, civil society, diplomatic missions and embassies, and most especially the Media to discuss the potential role of the local government and its citizens in promoting transparency and accountability and to advance citizens access to justice in the fight against corruption.

  • Lagos distributes cooking gas to 31 local govts

    Lagos State Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy yesterday distributed Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Gas Cylinders to 31 councils.

    Flagging off the exercise, the governor’s wife, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, said the exercise would help sustain the government’s campaign on safety and healthy living.

    She said the use of gas cylinder for cooking and other domestic works is safer and faster.

    “The success of this campaign is to stop the use of fire wood as a source of energy for cooking especially in our rural communities, but it is not just our rural communities most of our local eateries use fire wood, let them start to use the gas cylinders, it is faster and safer,” she said.

    She appealed to Lagosians to embrace the use of gas cylinders for all home and eatery.

    Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Taofiq Tijani said the use of the gas cylinders at homes for cooking will guarantee a safer environment.

    “The benefit of the use of gas for cooking include good health and clean environment; the environment will be devoid of smoke like when fire wood or kerosene is use for cooking,” he said.