LG: Niger Yet to Receive Funds from FG
From Jide Orintunsin in Minna
Despite pronouncement of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, that Federal Government has released allocation to local governments in Niger State, investigation has revealed that the councils are yet to receive such allocation from Abuja.
The Supreme Court on Monday at the resumed hearing of a suit filed by the Lagos State government challenging the withholding of local government funds by Federal Government, the Chief Justice told the open court that the court has some documents to show that funds have been released to the state and Nasarawa State.
Indication to the non-release of the allocations since April this year was confirmed in a letter written by the counsel of the Niger State government to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, a copy of which was made available to THISDAY.
In the two-page letter dated July 12 and signed by Abdullahi Ibrahim and Co, Niger State government stated that the facts presented to the court were far from the truth.
According to the letter, the attention of the state counsel was drawn to the pronouncement of the Chief Justice, whom the letter claim must be relying on the documents filed in court by the Federal Government counsel, Chief Afe Babalola, as well as some news publications (not in THISDAY), that the Federal Government had released the Federation Allocation for the local governments in the state.
The letter added that on enquiry from their client (Niger State government) about the true position, "our client informed us that as at date, no payment had been received from the Federal Government in its favour as alleged."
The Niger State counsel then requested the minister to effect the payment of the funds due to the councils in the state immediately, if the position of Federal Government is at variance to that of the state.
"We have our client's instructions to request that the said cheque being payment of the portion of the federal allocation due to the local governments in Niger State be immediately issued in favour of our client and forwarded to our chambers for onward transmission to our client," the letter requested.
In the same vein, the state Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, acting on the strength of the Supreme Court pronouncement and the news report forwarded a letter with reference number ML202/N/Vol.XVIII/027, dated July 13 and requested its bankers to confirm receipt of the said allocations.
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