By Oladipo Airenakho
The eighteen local government councils in Edo State have received the sum of N1, 777,639,808.24 from the federal allocation for the month of November, 2016 and absolve the State Government of any interference with revenue accruing to local government areas.
Briefing newsmen after the joint allocation committee meeting of local governments in the State held at the Government House, Benin City on Wednesday, the spokesman of the heads of local government administration, and head of Esan South East, Barr. Macaulay Ehonor said the LGAs had received the sum of N1,777,639,808.24 from the federal allocation for the month of November, 2016, out of which the total mandatory deduction came up to the sum of N1,181,401,139.16.
According to Barr Ehonor, they just held the joint allocation committee meeting of local governments in Edo State presided over by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Edo State, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki.
“The total allocation received by local governments in Edo State for the month of November, shared now in the month of December is N1,777,639,808.24 (One Billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven Million, Six Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eight Naira, Twenty Four Kobo).
“Of this amount, the total mandatory expenditure came up to N1,181,401,139.16 (One Billion, One Hundred and Eighty One Million, Four Hundred and One Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty Nine Naira, Sixteen Kobo),” he said.
He stated that the bulk of the mandatory expenditure went into the payment of teachers’ salaries while three local governments received negative allocation and would have to look elsewhere for funds to meet their financial obligations.
“The bulk of this mandatory expenditure went in for teachers’ salaries, and in this month’s distribution, three local governments received negative allocation. That is to say, what accrued to these local governments cannot pay their teachers’ salaries,” he noted.
“In other words, they are supposed to go out looking for money to augment, and these local governments are Oredo, Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode local governments. These received negative allocation after the deduction from the mandatory expenditure.”
Arising from this development, the spokesman continued, His Excellency has promised that the State would intervene to ensure that these local governments are able to meet some commitments to the staff of the local governments this month.
“The government has also promised to assist the local governments to carry out an assessment of our economic potentials of each and every local government; that is, to establish our base revenues and also our base monthly expenditure, to see how viable each and every local government would be in the months to come,” he said.
He hinted that the local governments will carry out physical verification of teachers in the respective primary schools as soon as schools resume, adding that he National Union of Teachers, (NUT) has also been sensitized by the State Government towards this assignment.
“This administration will abhor absenteeism of its staff, both teachers and non-teaching staff.”
Barr Ehonor further said, “We are also advised to ensure that our marriage registries are functional, and records from these marriage registries are updated on a monthly basis so as to be able to discharge effectively our constitutional responsibilities as regards marriages, births and deaths.
“These were the highpoints of this month’s meeting, and we were all satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.
“It is also clear from this that the State Government in no way interferes with the revenue accruing to local governments. Thank you.”
The Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie Esq and the Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahor were also present at the joint allocation committee meeting of local government councils.
