*My Administration Augments Federal Allocations To Ogun LGs -Abiodun
All political chicanery diminishes in the end to a manifest use of sabotage. It takes an astute statesman, however, to counteract and forgive all the devices and plots of the saboteur which, within and outside government circuit, highlight the malicious struggle of discordant powers rearing to cast a spoke inside the wheels of progress.
This refers to the spurious accusations levelled against Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, by the Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo.
Adedayo, in a letter written to former Governor Olusegun Osoba, on Sunday, accused Governor Abiodun of diverting the statutory Federal Allocation due to the state’s Local Governments since 2021. Adedayo alleged that over N10.8bn fund of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme was also diverted by the governor.
But in a swift reaction, the Association of Local Government Chairmen (ALGON), Ogun State Chapter, Chaired by the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode LG, Hon. Emilola Gazal, led other members to tender their unreserved apology to Governor Abiodun over the recent remarks made by Adedayo.
At the meeting, which took place at the Governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Hon. Gazal led his colleagues to apologise to the governor and they prostrated, chanting placatory songs for good measure, as they earnestly sought his forgiveness.
According to them, what Adedayo said do not represent the will and opinion of all the local council chairmen in the state and should not be taken seriously.
In response, Governor Abiodun, declared that he bears no grudge against them, stressing that he would continue to do his good works in the state.
Governor Abiodun had earlier put a lie to Adedayo’s claim, stressing that his administration has never tampered with Local Government funds, adding that his administration has often had to augment the funds allocated to Local Governments in the State from the Federation Account to enable them to meet their obligations.
Governor Abiodun stated this in Abeokuta while reacting to the letter credited to Adedayo, stressing that his administration had disbursed funds to all Local Governments periodically for developmental projects.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the state governor, Mr Lekan Adeniran, the government said that JAAC members ensure that the third tier of government gets the required allocations for optimal performance.
It noted that the latest meeting by the JAAC was held last week, and was widely reported in the media. At the meeting, which was held at the Conference Hall, Oba’s Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, over N5bn was shared among the 20 local government areas, out of which over N2 billion went into paying teachers.
While explaining that the funds meant for Local Governments in the State were being handled by the constitutionally recognized Joint Account and Allocation Committee, JAAC, The Governor said that JAAC members always ensure that the third tier of government gets the required allocations for optimal performance.
It wondered how adding to the funds allocated to the local councils to enable them to meet their obligations amounted to hijacking their funds.
“Between May 2023 when the Governor was sworn in for the second term and July 2023, the JAAC shared among 20 local governments N4.531b, N4.444b and N4.497b respectively on first line charges and just last week N5.2b was shared among the local governments for the month of August, “the statement said.
The JAAC, according to the statement, comprises major stakeholders in local government administration, including the Chief Economic Adviser to the governor, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Accountant General of the State, Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, all 20 local government chairmen, one representative from each of the four Traditional Councils in the state, representative of SUBEB, NULGE, local govt pensioners, retired primary school teachers, Local Government Service Commission, Local Government Pension Commission and NUT.
It has the mandate to meet every month to ensure that allocations to local governments are discussed and properly presented for fund allocation.
At such meetings, the state government makes full disclosure of the receipt from the federation account.
First-line charges, including local government staff salaries and pensions; primary school teachers’ salaries and pensions; healthcare workers’ salaries and pensions and emoluments for traditional rulers are tabled for discussion and fund allocation at the JAAC meetings, the statement said.
The statement added that this same pattern has been followed since Prince Dapo Abiodun took over the leadership of the state in 2019.
Governor Abiodun, the statement said, recently directed the local governments to identify critical roads that required government attention in their domains, with some already commissioned.
In the same vein, many schools have been rehabilitated, while others are undergoing renovation.
“In addition to these, the state government also disburse funds to all local governments for developmental projects periodically,” the statement added.
Thus Adedayo, like the proverbial troll, played at chess with Abiodun; yielding a pawn, he thought to gain a queen of the governor by taking advantage of his honest endeavours.
Notwithstanding Adedayo’s treachery, Governor Abiodun is determined to stay the course of progress, peace, unity and stability, as outlined in his vision for Ogun State.
Vision paints the picture of what we want to create. Systems thinking reveals how we have created what we currently have. It takes matchless genius, however, to combine these two attributes and Governor Abiodun takes the shine to such a venture.
The indefatigable administrator is determined to leave no stone unturned in his quest to better the lot of the citizenry of the Gateway State. To this end, no degree of treachery or conspiracy will deter him.
