The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kaduna State Chapter, has dismissed allegations that the Kaduna State Government hijacked local government allocations, describing the claims as false and misleading.
The Chairman of ALGON in the state, Jamilu Abubakar, made this known in a press release issued on Thursday in Kaduna while reacting to a report published by an online medium.
The report had alleged that Governor Uba Sani diverted local government allocations, and that council chairmen received as little as N25 million monthly from federal allocations reportedly ranging between N500 million and N600 million.
Abubakar described the publication as unsubstantiated and lacking factual basis, adding that it was the handiwork of disgruntled individuals unfamiliar with local government finance and the legal framework guiding local government administration.
He said Kaduna State remains one of the leading states in promoting local government autonomy.
Abubakar stated that the state government had trained local government officials on electronic payment systems and provided the necessary infrastructure to ensure direct payment of salaries, pensions, and other statutory obligations.
“Kaduna State local governments are fully complying with the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment on local government autonomy. Every local government chairman receives monthly allocation statements, while funds are transparently utilised for statutory responsibilities such as security, primary healthcare, education, and rural infrastructure,” he said.
Abubakar also refuted claims that local councils had failed to execute meaningful projects, insisting that councils across the state had embarked on several developmental initiatives with support from the state government.
He listed some of the projects to include rural electrification, borehole drilling, renovation of primary healthcare centres, and road grading across communities.
According to him, ALGON has documented more than 400 projects executed across the 23 local government areas in the past year, with some jointly funded by the state government.
The ALGON chairman further dismissed insinuations that council chairmen were avoiding their local government areas out of fear of voters.
“Our members hold regular meetings within their councils and remain actively engaged with their communities. Elections are not a source of fear but an avenue for accountability and service,” he said.
Abubakar reaffirmed Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to local government autonomy, transparency, and grassroots development.
He challenged the anonymous source quoted in the report to publicly provide verifiable evidence to substantiate the allegations.
The ALGON chairman also called on the online medium to publish a retraction and apology within 48 hours on its platform and social media channels.
He urged media organisations to always verify facts before publishing reports that could mislead the public.
