The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has warned local government Chairmen across the country against carrying out the orders of state governors in spending local government money on non-local government projects.
NULGE said in a letter to the local government Chairmen that it will not hesitate to report any local government chairman who engages in frivolous spending of local government funds on the directives of state governors to the National Financial Intelligence Unit for prosecution in accordance with the recent NFIU guidelines.
In the letter dated signed by the National President on 9th August, 2019 obtained by The Nation in Abuja, the union warned that any local government official who engages himself in diverting local government funds will be personally liable.
The two paged letter reminded them of the struggle by the union to ensure financial autonomy for local government councils and to free them from the clutches of state governors, an action which gained the support of Nigerians as well as the National Assembly, but failed to gain the constitutional support of state Assemblies.
The letter reads: โI bring you very warm fraternal greetings from the National Executive Council (NEC) and members of our union in all the 774 loud government areas and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
โYou will recall that the leadership of our union and entire members had over the year being in the forefront for the autonomy of the Local government system to free it to perform its function in accordance with its philosophy.
โOur relentless campaign for local government autonomy gained national popular support and invariably the backing of the 7th and 8th National Assembly, which had voted overwhelmingly in support of key clauses seeking to grant autonomy to the third tier of government.
โAs you are aware, on each attempt, state governors had truncated the exercise as in the end, the needed amendment could not get the required two-third majority of State Houses of Assemblyโs concurrence to scale through.
โWhile we have not relented in the struggle to achieve autonomy for the system that we operate in through constitutional means, and have learnt very valuable lessons from our past campaigns and ready to re-strategise for future struggle, we are however encouraged by the content of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unitโs [NFlUโs) recent guidelines with respect to the operation of States-Local Governments Joint Accounts.
โGiven the passion with which the Governors Forum had opposed this initiative, it is clear to us in NULGE that they will go to any length to either bend these guidelines or find ways of administratively/bureaucratically undermining them.
โIn other words, from their pronouncements and action, our state governors are still as determined as those before them to continue the looting of local government resources with their stranglehold on these joint account.
โHonourable Chairman, Sir, it is with respect to the above context that we wish to use this opportunity to caution the leadership of Local Government Councils particularly Honourable Chairmen of LGCs, Treasurers of Councils and Directors, General Services and Administration (DGSAs) to exercise a high degree of restraint in carrying out directive(s) of state governors in releasing any fund whatsoever through back channels m organisations or agencies of state governments.
โIn the light of the above, it is noteworthy to make reference to โProvision 9โฒ of the NFlUโs Guideline which clearly asserts that: โit is hereby provided that any public officer anywhere in the country and/or any private citizen found undermining or violating these guidelines will be investigated and prosecuted under the NFIU Act. 2018, the ML(PA), 2011 (as amended), the EFCC Act, 2004 and the ICFC Act, 2000, by the Independent Corrupt and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
โFrom the above, it is clear that any officer of the local government who blindly follows instructions of governors to transfer or divert local government funds to non-Iocal government projects will be in personally liable.
โWe look forward to collaborate with both the political and key administrative leadership of the local government in our future engagements, campaigns and struggle for local government autonomy. Please accept the renewed assurances of our esteemed regards.โ
