John Adams, Minna
The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Niger State has raised concerns, following the implementation of the National Finance Intelligent Unit (NFIU) on direct allocation to local government, that no fewer than 13 out of the 25 local governments in the state cannot pay their staff salaries.
The state NULGE said the situation is made worse by the non remittance by the Niger State government of 10 percent of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) into the state and local government joint accounts for upwards of ten years as required by law.
NULGE state Chairman Alhaji Abdulkareem Lafene, who disclosed this in Minna on Thursday, said in the last three months affected council areas have d struggled to pay staff salaries, and this may get worse if nothing is done to address it.
The Chairman pointed out that the affected councils have relied on the buoyant local governments to “contribute” to bail out the financially deficient local governments to enable them settle all their financial obligations.
Some of the local governments, Lafene said, have resorted to obtaining bank facilities to enable them remain afloat, including support for the day to day running of their council areas.
The action of the government, he maintained, is a complete violation of the statutory act by the state house of assembly, which established the state and local government joint account.
“If you cannot contribute your 10 percent as required by law, then allow the money to be sent directly to the local government accounts.
Some of the local governments that cannot pay workers salaries include Chanchaga, Bida, Suleja, Kontagora, Mokwa, Paikoro, Shiroro, Lavun, Lapai, Agaie, paikoro, Rijau, and Tafa.
Lafene blamed the inability of the LGs to meet their financial obligations on a series of deductions from the allocations of the local governments which, he says, have gone a long way to deplete their income.
He disclosed that Niger State has 13 items in the statutory deductions from the allocation to the local governments, adding that some of these items did not have direct baring with the councils and “yet they are being made to make these compulsory contributions.”
The NULGE boss wondered why the local governments should still be contributing to the running of the state owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida university (IBBU) in Lapai, when it is the responsibility of the state government.
He also disclosed that despite the five percent deduction for emirate councils, the local government councils still pay salaries of the traditional rulers, district and village heads.
He further queried why teacher salaries should be the responsibility of local governments after the mandatory deductions made to the state Universal Basic Education Board.
“There are other deductions that don’t have direct baring to the local governments; if all these deductions are removed local governments will function effectively.”
Lafene said the direct allocation policy was already being implemented and has achieved close to 90% success in the state, but added that “we still have some lacuna in the guidelines that the NFIU should address.”
The NULGE boss suggested that the NFIU should set up a monitoring committee that “will go round the country to ensure strict compliance with the set guidelines,” adding that “punishments should be put in place for those not implementing the NFIU guidelines to the letter.”
He announced that stakeholders in the local government affairs are to meet in Keffi Nasarawa State on September 4 and in Abuja on September 26 in order to deliberate on the implementation of the NFIU guidelines.