Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Association of Ex-Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ASELGON) has asked state governors and governors-elect who cannot comply with the direct disbursement of local government allocations to resign on or before May 29.
ASELGON National President, Albert Asipa, made the call against the backdrop of new Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) guidelines, which was launched in Abuja, last week.
Asipa commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the initiative, which he noted, would check governors’ brazen diversion of local government funds and treasury looting at the grassroots.
With the latest NFIU guidelines, the joint account system in place in states of the federation will only exist for the receipt of allocations but not disbursement.
Also, each of the 774 local government areas in the country may get N500,000 cash transactions limit per day.
In a statement issued yesterday, ASELGON national president said his association was satisfied with the new directive.
He said God has answered the association’s prayers and granted its request to scrap joint account.
Asipa recalled how ASELGON has been clamouring for the scrapping of joint account and state electoral body for the past three years.
“With the NFIU guidelines, the grassroots will surely witness positive changes in the areas of provision of healthcare delivery, road maintenance, rural electrification and other basic amenities.”
He said governors should see the Federal Government directive as an opportunity to reduce grassroots pressure on them.
He, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to succumb to any pressure by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to reverse or tinker with the guidelines.
Asipa, a former chairman of Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, expressed readiness of his association to partner NFIU and the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to monitor the 774 councils’ activities and check reckless spending of tax payers’ money.
“We commend President Buhari for starting his second term on good note and this will also reduce the burden and pressure of the state government coming from the grassroots.
“With the new guidelines, the National Assembly has no alternative than to scrap joint account and state Independent Electoral Commission,” he said.