By Sunday Ani
The Nigeria Association For Public Opinion Research (NAFPOR) has offered a one week crash programme to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo on how local government allocations are deployed.
This followed the Governor’s allegation that the suspended council chairmen misappropriated N95 billion.
According to the group, the N95 billion represents a gross receipt for the 18 local government councils over 15 months for the payment of teachers, pensioners, health workers, local government staff salary, arrears of pension, traditional rulers’ monthly payment and health insurance premium which are all mandatory payments by all local government councils.
The group advised the Governor to seek equity with clean hands by specifically mentioning the areas that the council chairmen defrauded the state, instead of lumping everyone with one huge figure to justify his alleged misappropriation. They urged the Governor to demonstrate a high level of transparency and accountability to the state by accounting for the LG allocation of N15.6 billion in his possession for two months under his supervision instead of accusing the council chairmen of mismanagement of an average of N1.5 billion net receipt per local government over 15 months.
A statement Publicity Secretary of NAFPOR, Mrs Comfort Aliu said an independent research by the group revealed that the analysis of these mandatory costs account for between 75 and 80 percent of total receipts, which left the local government councils with little or nothing to accomplish development projects at the grassroots. “Despite these difficult working conditions, there’s no local government council in Edo State today without a tangible project that has been accomplished by the 18 local government council chairmen in their one year and three months in office,” the group stated.
It called on President Bola Tinubu to prove to the world that he is the president of all Nigerians by defending the interest of Nigerians and not supporting what Governor Okpebholo is currently doing in the name of political party.
“Patriotism has no political party and the President, the IGP and the Attorney General of the Federation should all step into this issue and enforce the Supreme Court declaration that granted autonomy to local government council by reinstating Edo State local government chairmen to avert looming constitutional crisis,” the group said.
The group expressed worry that similar constitutional crisis in Osun State has led to loss of lives and destruction of property.
“The continuous silence by the President, the Attorney General of the Federation and IGP has left Nigerians to imagine if the nation is on an auto pilot where anyone could abuse the constitution without consequences.
“The AGF, IGP should provide security for Edo local government chairmen to resume work immediately in order to fast-track grassroots development and enhance good governance at that level. The police can reinstate the chairmen against the Governor’s dictatorial tendencies by providing security for the chairmen to resume immediately,” they stated.