Mairo Adamu Mani
The Niger State House of Assembly has considered and adopted the report of its House Standing Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, chaired by Hon. (Dr) Alhaji Bello Bako (Rijau). The Committee engaged Representatives of the Ministry for Local Government and Planning Commission to advise on matters of procedure and extant financial rules and regulations.
Budget Breakdown*
The Committee disclosed that the Recurrent Expenditure is made up of #96,286,909,470.58 and the Capital Expenditure is made up of #55,434,793,131.53, bringing the total budget size of the Local Government Councils to #151,721,702,602.11.
The Committee observed that insecurity in some Local Government areas made effective revenue collection difficult, leading to unrealistic projections. The Committee recommended that all Local Government Councils:
– Establish sound and sustainable mechanisms to improve their revenue base
– Vigorously pursue collection and block leakages
– Ensure prompt lodging of revenues into Local Government revenue accounts
– Improve capital allocations to impact the lives of the masses
The Committee noted that the proposed allocations to capital vote needed to be improved upon, as the current proposal may not attain the desired impact on the yearning and aspiration of the present administration.
After careful consideration, the House unanimously adopted the budget bill. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Barr. Abdulmalik Mohammed Sarkin-Daji, commended the Committee for their diligence and hard work, assuring that the Committee will intensify its oversight function to ensure adequate implementation of the budgetary provisions. The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to transmit a clean copy to the Executive for Assent.
In a related development, the House has constituted a Five-member adhoc Committee to investigate the land dispute between Gbangba Dzuka Community of Gbako Local Government Area and Gonna Community of Katcha Local Government Area. This decision follows a Motion of urgent public importance brought by Hon. Yahaya Ahmadu, Member Representing Gbako Constituency.
Presenting the motion, Hon. Ahmadu informed the House of a violent communal clash on April 15, resulting in two deaths and several injuries. The dispute arose when villagers from Gbangba went to their farmland to begin cultivation after the rainfall, and people from Gonna Community attacked them.
Hon. Ahmadu stated that the land in question belongs to Gbangba Community of Gbako Local Government Area, but its proximity to Gonna in Katcha Local Government Area has led to a dispute over ownership. He warned that if the situation is not addressed urgently, it might escalate or lead to reprisal attacks.
