RESTRUCTURING: Nigerian Govs Killed Local Government Systems – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the clamour of restructuring of Nigeria will not be the case if the federal, states and local governments were functioning as enshrined in the constitution.

Buhari, while speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, said the challenges facing the 774 local government areas in the country were due to inadequate allocations.

When asked about his position on the devolution of power to states and LGAs, Buhari was of the view that the three arms of government should first be allowed to function properly, particularly the LGAs.

He explained that when money is approved for the LGAs, local governments are given lesser than what had been approved.

“Well, local governments are virtually key, the three tiers of government; federal, state and local government, if they are being followed properly, we won’t have all this social problem. But the problem is the local government has been virtually killed and this not good for this country. Because those who became the local government chairmen are being compromised. If your local government is entitled to N300 million and what will be prepared for you to sign is N300 million and you are given only 100 million…,” he said.

According to provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, state governments are to transfer funds to the LGAs through the State Joint Local Government Account System (SJLGAS).

Part of that section reads: “The amount standing to the credit of local government councils in the Federation Account shall also be allocated to the State for the benefit of their local government councils on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

“Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the local government councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State.”