Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said his administration will continue to give financial support to local governments in the state regardless of the judgement of the Supreme Court that granted autonomy to the councils.
According to Diri’s spokesman, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the Governor stated this on Wednesday while swearing in chairmen of two Rural Development Authorities (RDAs) during the 134th state executive council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
He explained that some of the councils in the state run into deficit after paying workers and teachers and that the government will continue to augment their funds in order for them not to suffer.
He further stated that contrary to the impression that states were tampering with local government funds paid through the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC), the case of Bayelsa was different as the government instead augmented their funds.
The governor noted that creation of the RDAs was part of the government’s initiative of taking development to the nook and cranny of the state.
He charged the newly sworn in chairmen to discharge their duties dutifully and humbly to the people at the grassroots.
“My administration will continue to give full support to the local government system, regardless of the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy.
“Unlike the impression being peddled that state governments control what goes to the local government accounts after FAAC allocation, the Bayelsa State government augments their funds, as some local councils run in deficit.
“You are carrying the banner of this Prosperity Government to your rural development authorities. I charge you to discharge your duties dutifully and humbly to the people at the grassroots,” Diri said
Those sworn-in were Mr. Andrew Ikputu-Kirifa for Ogboin South/Tarakiri RDA and Mr. Christian Egbo for Ogbia Central RDA.
The governor further expressed concern over the destruction to the power transmission lines serving the state by vandals that has thrown the state into total darkness.
He said he has kept the Commissioner for Power and Managing Director of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company on their toes working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to ensure that power was quickly restored while the government’s plan to achieve independent power supply for the state was on course.
