Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani is facing allegations of hijacking local government allocations, with one chairman claiming the governor releases only N25 million monthly despite each local government receiving N500 million to N600 million from federal allocations. ¹
The allegation comes amid complaints from residents over the lack of visible projects in many local government areas nearly two years after the chairmen assumed office. The chairman, who spoke anonymously, alleged that allocations meant for councils are being controlled by the state government and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sadiq Mamman Lagos.
The Supreme Court ruled in July 2024 that local governments must have full financial and administrative autonomy, specifying that state governments cannot withhold or control federal allocations meant for councils. However, Kaduna’s councils continue to operate under limited budgets, affecting day-to-day administration and development projects.
The chairman expressed frustration, stating that N20 million or N30 million cannot achieve much when the federal government sends over N500 million to the state. He accused Governor Sani of misleading the public about implementing full local government autonomy.
Residents are complaining about the lack of projects, and many council chairmen are reportedly scared to visit their local government areas due to accusations of non-performance. The situation has raised concerns about the governor’s commitment to local government autonomy. ²
Governor Sani’s administration has prioritized education, reducing tuition fees and constructing classrooms. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to address the infrastructure deficit and insecurity in the state. ³ ⁴
The allegations against Governor Sani have sparked concerns about the management of public funds and the impact on development projects in Kaduna State.
Would you like to know more about the reactions to these allegations or Governor Sani’s response to the accusations?
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