... reiterates respect for LG autonomy

Ogun State government has called for the cooperation and support of the third tier of government in a bid to shore up the Internally Generated Revenue of the State, towards achieving its revenue target for the year.

This is just as the State government reiterated that it would not undermine the autonomy of the local government administration.

The Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, made the call in Abeokuta at a meeting with Chairmen and representatives of the 20 Local Government councils.

Okubadejo, who noted that the monthly allocation from the Federal Government to Local Governments in the State was grossly insufficient to meet its financial obligations, disclosed that the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration has always augmented the allocation every month, for even spread of dividends of democracy to all the nooks and crannies of the State.

"You cannot achieve world-class governance without recognising the powers and financial autonomy of the Local Government as enshrined in our constitution. That is why we introduced the monthly Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting to discuss the financial status and relationship between the State and Local Governments. This emphasises the transparency and accountability of this administration.

"This is to enable all our Local Government stakeholders to know that the money coming from the Federal Government in their favour is not spent by the State government at all", the Commissioner added.

Okubadejo, while underscoring the importance of Public-Private Partnership to the overall development of the State, admonished the Local Government administrators to desist from collecting unwholesome revenues from investors operating in their Local Government Areas.

He explained that such practice promotes unhealthy investor relations and amounts, while in some cases double taxation, which affects the State’s Ease of Doing Business index ranking.

According to Okubadejo, revenue items such as tenement rates and others have been harmonised and taken care of by the Land Use and Amenities Charge (LUAC).

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Afolabi Afuape, lauded the State government for the meeting, saying such an interface would further engender a symbiotic relationship between the two arms of government.