Assembly demands dissolution of local councils

The Katsina House of Assembly on Wednesday demanded the immediate dissolution of the 34 local government councils in the state in line with the constitutional provision.

The decision was adopted after the committee to investigate alleged diversion of Joint Local Government Account funds into ALGON account submitted its report.

The Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Bello Danmusa, who presented the findings by the committee, said it had established that the funds were transferred from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to ALGON account.

He said that bank statements indicated that the transfer was carried out through Union Bank Plc between January and December 2014 and between January and May 2015.

The lawmaker also said the committee established that the transfer violated the provisions of sections 7 A and 7 B of the Joint Local Government Account Law CAP 69, Laws of Katsina State, 1991, as amended.

"Section 7 A of the law stipulates that there shall be established a joint project account for the state and local governments for the purpose of carrying out joint projects.

"Section 7 B stipulates that for the purpose of carrying out joint state and local government projects, the committee shall direct for the deduction of funds at source to be paid into state and local government joint project account,’’ he said.

Danmusa, said that the transfer had violated the regulations 713 of financial regulations No. 72 Vol. 96 of 2009 edition which states that personal money shall in no circumstance be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.

The committee, therefore, recommended that the executive arm of government further conduct an in-depth investigation into the activities of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

"In view of the violation of provision of sections 7A and 7B of the Joint Local Government Account Allocation Committee, the committee recommends the immediate dissolution of the local government councils.

"It is hereby recommended that necessary steps be also taken to abolish the Joint Local Government Account Committee in the state,’’ he said.

Speaker Aliyu Sabiu, who presided over the adoption of the report, directed the clerk to forward the assembly’s resolutions to the executive arm for implementation.