Soludo told the committee that the local system is largely two-fold including its financing and its administration.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo has commissioned a nine-member Committee for the State-Local Government Joint Account.
Speaking shortly after the inauguration which followed the State Executive Council meeting, Soludo appreciated the committee for accepting to serve under very difficult circumstances.
Soludo said; “The resources aren’t there. But at the same time, you are being called upon to do some very special disruptive function. It is going to be a lot of hard work. Why do I say that? Because you are being called upon to do very disruptive work at a time of major challenges in the country. Major challenges in the finances of the state and local government and you’ve been called upon to find the solution.
“We are going to be employing over four thousand teachers, it’ll be charged to JAAC. Meanwhile, you have over N14 billion debt in terms of arrears to gratuity and pensions. Part of it we have started to pay.”
Soludo told the committee that the local system is largely two-fold including its financing and its administration.
On local government autonomy, Professor Soludo said; “I hear people talk about autonomy. If you want to implement a strict autonomy, it’ll mean that each local government will employ and pay its staff. That’s what it’ll mean but this is not the case. That’s why you find someone in Idemili working in Ayamelum and someone from Ayamelum working in Nnewi South because they have a pool system.”
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Soludo also explained that resources accruable to the state governments from the federal are low because of NNPC’s inability to remit funds to the federation account, adding that it could become worse now that it is a limited company.
He said, “We are trying to devolve the responsibilities, waste management, security because we are now doing security at the community level, issues of environment and so on and so forth. My aspiration and with you as the Committee, we are going to work together so that they too can compete and have new ways to raise their own revenues.”
Members of the Committee include the Commissioner for Local Government, Collins Nwabunwanne who will serve as the Committee Chairman, Commissioner for Finance, Ifeatu Onejeme, Vice Chairman and Leopold Arinze Nwankwo-Ikwueto, Secretary.
Other members include Barr. Ifeatu Obiokoye, member representing Central Senatorial Zone, Nnamdi Nwadiogbu, member representing North Senatorial Zone, Sir Van George Ezeogudi, member representing South Senatorial Zone, Dr. Chibuike Ofobuike, member and Transition Committee Chairman representing South Zone.
Others are Amaka Obi, member and Transition Committee Chairman, representing Central Zone, Livinus Onyenwe, member and Transition Committee Chairman representing North Zone.
