Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, of Delta has called for a review of the existing revenue allocation formula in favour of states and local governments to reflect the current socio-economic realities in the country.
The governor made the call when the National Executive Council members of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) led by the National President, Mr Kolade Alabi, paid a courtesy visit on Thursday in Asaba.
He said that the review of the revenue formula had become expedient in view of the huge responsibilities facing states and local governments in the country.
According to the governor, the local government administration is growing and it is our hope that we get them stabilised financially so that they can impact on the lives of our people.
Okowa added that there were lots of things being done at the national level that ought not to be done at that level.
“I believe that local government administration must be autonomous and here in Delta, we have never tampered with their funds.
” Rather we assist them and provide bailout funds for them on a monthly basis to augment their payment of salaries.
“We have generally as a nation, made local government administration take up serious responsibilities like payment of local government council staff and primary school teachers salaries without providing the necessary funds for them.
“We need to have a re-work of the revenue allocation formula because none of the arms of government should shy away from that.
“We need to be able to provide funding so that they can reach out to the people and the people will feel their impact.
He said the Federal Government was an important tier of government but cannot perform well in terms of reaching out to the various communities because of the issues of monitoring and evaluation.
Okowa stressed the need to re-work the laws of the nation in such a way that it is able to redirect governance the way it ought to be done.
Earlier, Alabi said that the group was in Delta for its national executive council meeting and that the choice of the state was in recognition of the sterling accomplishments of Gov. Okowa in local government administration.
According to him, ALGON is not a pressure group or a contract-awarding group, but a partner in developmental governance.
On teachers’ salary increment announced by the Federal Government on Tuesday, Alabi said that ALGON was not against it but pointed out that the states and local governments should have been part of the decision.
”Teachers’ salaries are within the purview of the states and the local governments and we have it on good authority that the governors were not consulted.
“We therefore advocate for a review of the revenue sharing formula.
“If there is a review to release more funds to states and local governments, we can now handle our affairs as regards increment in teachers’ salaries and all other things begging for attention of local governments,” he said.
The Chairman of ALGON in Delta, Mr Itiako Ikpokpo, thanked the president of the association for choosing Delta to host the NEC.
He said that over the years there had been a strong consistency in efforts at ensuring that local government administration got better.
Ikpokpo, however, said that the running of local government administration in Delta was a reference point for other states to emulate.
