As APC Chieftain demand scrapping of Joint Account in States
By Okey Maduforo
Gov Charles Soludo of Anambra state has insisted on the show of transparency and accountability in the appropriation of local government funds in Nigeria.
Similarly the Zonal Chairman All Progressives Congress APC for Anambra South Senatorial District Mr Izuchukwu Okeke has called for the scrapping of the Joint Account Commission set up by the states and local government areas in the country.
According to Soludo in response to the Supreme Court judgement that granted autonomy to the local government
I believe in the rule of law. Once the Supreme Court has spoken it has spoken. I understand, I mean, tonight, I think the Governors Forum is meeting to review this”
“But at a fundamental level, yes, we need resources to get down to the real grassroots and we need the people’s money to work for them at all levels, whether at the federal or the state and the local government.
“We need to promote accountability. We need to promote transparency”
Izuchukwu Okeke in a release to reporters noted that;
“Also before now the Local government system have been moribund following the hijack of the constructional functions and duties of the local government areas in the state “
“Consequent upon this development, the local government system has been liberated from the strong hold of the state governments and this is a new dawn for local government administration in Nigeria”
“To this end we urge Mr President to ensure the full obedience of the Supreme Court judgement and also ensure that the allocations due to the local government areas are paid direct to them .
“Similarly we call for the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commission and insist that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC should conduct local government elections across the country”
“To this end we equally urge the National Assembly to commence the process of amending the Section 7 of the Constitution which currently vested the powers of conducting local government elections on the respective state governments in the country”
“We must not fail to advise the respective local government areas not to see this development as an affront to abuse the powers rested on them by the recent Supreme Court judgement”he said.
