FAAC: Why FG, govs must open accounts for 774 LGAs, says Ozekhome – Newstrends
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FAAC: Why FG, govs must open accounts for 774 LGAs, says Ozekhome

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1 month ago

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Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome

FAAC: Why FG, govs must open accounts for 774 LGAs, says Ozekhome

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has advised governors, the federal government, and local government council chairmen to open bank accounts for Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

He expressed his views in a statement shared on Thursday, explaining that opening accounts would comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment, which ordered the funds due to the LGAs to be paid directly to them from the Federation Account.

The apex court judgment signaled a major departure from what was obtained over the years, where there was a joint account between the LGA and state governments but controlled by the latter.

Supreme Court had delivered its verdict following the federal government’s suit, which aimed to prevent the governors of 36 states from spending or tampering with the 20.6% allocation from the federation account to local government areas, among other reliefs targeting local government autonomy.

The apex court ruled that the allocations to joint state and local government accounts were merely procedural practices adopted in the past. It emphasized that it was not the intention of the 1999 Constitution for governors to retain funds due to the LGAs.

The apex court declared that the amount allocated to and credited to Local Government Councils in the Federation Account could be paid directly by the Federation to democratically elected Local Government Councils, among other rulings.

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Reacting to the development, Ozekhome stated that compliance with the said judgment is not impossible.

He added that the refusal by state governors to remit to the LGCs was the ugly mischief the apex court judgment sought to cure.

He explained that the content, terms, and directives contained in the judgment are very straightforward and unambiguous.

He said that since the judgment mandates the direct payment of FAAC allocations to the LGCs, the FG, states, and LGCs must obey and enforce it by opening bank accounts for the LGCs for the onward disbursement of their monthly dues.

“The answer is equally simple. The FG, states, and LGCs should now meet (and I am told they have been meeting) at FAAC and decide on modalities and procedures for opening accounts for LGCs so that their allocation under section 162 of the 1999 Constitution is paid directly to them and not to the joint state LG account that is oftentimes waylaid by state governors and fleeced without the helpless LGCs being able to raise a finger, he said.”

“The apex court had declared emphatically that, ‘by virtue of section 162(3) and (5) of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999, the amount standing to the credit of LGCs in the Federation Account shall be distributed to them and be paid directly to them’; that a state, either by itself or governor or other agencies, has no power to keep, control, manage, or disburse in any manner, allocations from the Federation Account to LGCs.” 

He stated that compliance with the judgment is in the interest of justice and would bring true fiscal federalism to Nigeria.

FAAC: Why FG, govs must open accounts for 774 LGAs, says Ozekhome

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Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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6 hours ago

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September 16, 2024

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has described President Bola Tinubu as an epitome of wealth with no interest to loot Nigeria’s resources.

Olawande stated this while speaking at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch in Abuja.

The minister also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president, noting that in no distant time there will be positive changes.

He said, “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of the citizens will be transformed.

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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper; he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria.”

Olawande continued, “He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury.”

He emphasized that the administration is putting in efforts to transform the lives of Nigerians through various policies of the federal government.

Olawande thanked the staff of the ministry for being supportive of the government policies and assured them that their welfare will not be compromised.

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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7 hours ago

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September 16, 2024

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 32.15% in August 2024 down from the 33.40% recorded in July 2024, reflecting a decrease of 1.25 percentage points.

This represents the second consecutive monthly slowdown in inflation after easing in the previous month.

This is according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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However, on a year-on-year basis, the August 2024 inflation rate was 6.35 percentage points higher than the 25.80% rate recorded in August 2023, indicating a significant increase over the past year.

On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate in August 2024 stood at 2.22%, slightly lower than July’s rate of 2.28%, signaling a slower pace in the increase of the average price level compared to the previous month.

BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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12 hours ago

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September 16, 2024

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six young men in a hotel located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin City with fake letterheads, stamps, and forged signatures belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its chieftains.

The young men, who were apprehended with incriminating materials such as printers, mobile phones, power banks, laptops, and a photocopy machine, are believed to have been involved in drafting and circulating fake PDP letters and statements.

Their objective was to paint the PDP as instigators of unrest ahead of the forthcoming Edo governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The arrest, which was made following a tip-off, uncovered an elaborate scheme allegedly designed to discredit the PDP and its leaders by sending fabricated documents to unsuspecting journalists.

These fake letters and statements, according to police sources, were intended to portray the party as warmongers and troublemakers in the run-up to the critical election.

A police officer involved in the operation, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the suspects had been using the hotel as their base of operations for weeks.

“We found that these individuals were using forged PDP letterheads, stamps, and signatures to create fake documents.

“Their goal was to send out these documents to journalists in an attempt to misrepresent the PDP and create an atmosphere of tension ahead of the elections,” the officer said.

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In addition to the counterfeit materials, the police discovered that the young men had several technological devices, including laptops and printers, which they used to produce and disseminate the fraudulent documents.

“Their setup was sophisticated. They had everything they needed to make the documents appear legitimate, from forged letterheads to printers.

“We also found power banks, mobile phones, and a photocopy machine, which they used to mass-produce the fake letters,” the officer added.

Further investigation has revealed that the six young men were funded by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Meanwhile, another police source disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has come under intense pressure from senior APC figures, who are reportedly pushing for the release of the arrested men.

“Since the arrest, there has been immense pressure on us from certain chieftains within the APC, urging the command to release these individuals.

“We believe that their involvement with these young men is being covered up, and they are worried about the potential fallout from this arrest,” the source noted.

A journalist with one of the prominent national newspapers, who had been unknowingly receiving fake statements from the group, expressed shock upon hearing about the arrests.

“It’s alarming to think that we’ve been receiving statements from people who were impersonating the PDP. This shows how low some people will go to try and sabotage the other party. The integrity of this election is now under serious question,” the journalist stated.

The Edo State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but sources within the command say investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain in custody.

Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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