The constitutional provisions of the Oyo State Local Government Joint Account give Gov. Seyi Makinde the responsibility to oversee the spending of Local Government funds.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Ademola Ojo, stated this in Ibadan on Monday during the inter-ministerial news briefing, organised by the governor’s media unit.
According to Ojo, the constitutional provisions of the joint account saddled the state with the responsibility of overseeing the deployment of resources for projects, duties and responsibilities across councils.
“A lot of people outside don’t really understand the relationship between the state government and the local governments in terms of finances.
“This is a constitutional matter. The 1999 constitution (as amended) already states it.
“The State-Local Government Joint Allocation Committee manages funds from the federation account.
“It is between the state and the local governments, and the state has been saddled with the responsibility of disbursement.
“The governor of the state is always the chairman of that committee. So, he has the responsibility of making decisions on how to manage the allocation coming from the federation account,” Ojo said.
He declared that Makinde had ensured that the councils’ resources were judiciously spent for the benefit of the state’s residents.
He maintained that local government councils had collaborated with the state government to participate in the construction of key projects across the 33 local government areas.
The commissioner refuted claims and misconceptions that councils in the state had not done much.
According to him, the state local governments have built several landmark infrastructure, health and educational facilities in the last two years.
He added that the councils have also been making contributions in the area of education and human capital development by providing full scholarships to students of the state.
The commissioner states that 429 indigent students are sponsored annually in various higher institutions within and outside the state.
“Among the key projects undertaken by councils in the state under the year being reviewed are the rebuilding of the collapsed Olodo Bridge in Egbeda Local Government and the construction of the Farmers’ Market in Akinyele Local Government.
“Others are the construction of the ultramodern Olubadan palace, the ongoing upgrading of 66 Primary Healthcare Centres, the rehabilitation of the 14-kilometre Eruwa-Maya Road and the rehabilitation of the 62-kilometre Igboora-Igangan-Iganna Road,” he said.