By Idris Umar Zaria The 23 Local Government Chairmen in Kaduna State have collectively rejected allegations published by sahara ...
By Idris Umar Zaria
The 23 Local Government Chairmen in Kaduna State have collectively rejected allegations published by sahara Reporters accusing the Kaduna State Government of withholding local government funds and undermining local council autonomy.
Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government Chairmen in Kaduna State, Hon. Abubakar Jamilu Albani, described the publication as “false, misleading, and baseless,” insisting that the report does not reflect the realities of local government administration in the state.
The controversy followed a report by Sahara Reporters in which an unnamed local government chairman allegedly claimed that the Kaduna State Government controls local government allocations instead of transferring the funds directly to the councils.
The report further alleged that although each local government in Kaduna State receives between ₦500 million and ₦600 million monthly from the Federation Account, only about ₦25 million to ₦30 million is made available to them for operational activities.
It also claimed that the Kaduna State Government pays the salaries of local government workers through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, a situation the report alleged has weakened the financial independence of the councils and limited their capacity to execute meaningful developmental projects.
However, Hon. Albani firmly denied the allegations, stating that local governments in Kaduna State independently manage the payment of workers’ salaries and carry out their constitutional responsibilities without interference.
“We categorically reject the report and all the allegations contained in it. Local governments are not receiving ₦25 million as claimed, and the state government is not withholding our allocations,” he said.
He maintained that all the 23 local government chairmen remain united in their support for the administration of Uba Sani, commending the governor for what he described as inclusive governance, infrastructural development, and people-oriented policies across the state.
Albani also called on residents of Kaduna State and the general public to disregard the publication, stressing that the report was aimed at creating unnecessary tension and misrepresenting the relationship between the state government and local councils.
According to him, the local government chairmen remain committed to supporting policies and programmes that will enhance development at the grassroots and improve the welfare of citizens across Kaduna State.
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