LG autonomy: Kwara govt not meddling with councils’ affairs – Commissioner

The Kwara State Government, through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, has disclosed that local government councils as independent bodies have been given free hands to run their affairs, especially in the area of financial autonomy.

According to the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar Bata, at the ongoing inter-ministerial briefing organised by the State Ministry of Communications, the Ministry was only saddled with the monitoring and supervision of the activities of the Local Governments, saying local government funds are not tampered with by the State Government or any of its agents.

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Responding to a question on the recent verdict of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy, the Commissioner explained that the Local Government, since the inception of the present administration, have been independent in the administration of their affairs and, most significantly, in the disbursement of their finances.

The Commissioner further disclosed that the Ministry was in no position to interfere with the Council funds but to perform its cabinet function of monitoring and supervisory role by ensuring due process is followed in project execution, to know the extent of their compliance with procurement laws and also to ensure that the federal character principles of equal distribution of projects are carried out in the Councils.

Bata, while highlighting the success of the ministry, said all the Sixteen Local Government Councils in the state are now very solvent and better positioned to deliver on the core mandate of their creation, saying all the Local Government Councils are no longer known for salary-related payments alone but repositioned for better performance and delivering the dividends of democracy to their various constituents in terms of projects executions.

Also speaking on other related matters, the Commissioner disclosed that during the period being reviewed, the Ministry has successfully presented staff of offices to the newly appointed traditional rulers, i.e., the Oloro of Oro in Irepodun and Gbamoyin of Jimba-Oja in Ifelodun Local Government Councils. The Ministry had arbitrated in several communal disputes, which, if not properly managed, could have led to communal clashes.