By Marcus Ikechukwu
President Muhammadu Buhari says state governors are responsible for the poor development of local government areas across the country.
Buhari, who has been strengthening advocacy and autonomy for local government administration in the country, alleged that such a domineering stance of state governors was counterproductive to the country.
The President wondered how some state governors would collect about N100 million from the federal allocation and present N50 million to the Local Council Chairmen, then cap it up by compelling them to sign that they collected N100 million.
According to Buhari, such actions are despicable and speak of the height of corruption in Nigeria.
The President made the allegation on Thursday at the Presidential Villa Abuja while speaking at a Presidential Parley with participants of the Senior Executive Course 44 (2022) of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.
“I feel it is necessary to digress after this speech, and this digression is a result of personal experience,” the president said.
” A Chief Executive of a state, a qualified lawyer, trained. The treatment of local governments, what he did, this is my personal experience. If the money is from the federal government to state governments, let’s put it at N100 million (naira). N50 million will be sent to the chairman with a letter that he will sign that he received N100 million.
“The governor will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants. And then the chairman of the local government will be struggling to pay salaries and what goes into development.”
“Money for salaries will be given, someone will put it in his pocket. This is happening in this Nigeria, and its a terrible thing. You cannot say the person doing that is not educated. He is a qualified lawyer. He is experienced and is participating in this type of corruption.”
“It’s a matter of personal integrity. Whichever level we find ourselves, the elite must make all the sacrifices for the country. This is why we are putting you through institutions and getting you ready to lead. The fundamental thing is personal integrity”.
