Tunji Wusu –
Inaugurating the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) for Enugu State, Governor Dr. Peter Mbah emphasized the importance of using local government monies to help elevate the populace out of poverty.
Comrade Anthony Udeh serves as Chairman of the 16-member Committee, while Dr. Peter Aneke serves as Secretary. Other members of the committee include Mr. Tony Okenwa, Accountant General of the State, and Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria’s Enugu State Chapter.
On Thursday, Governor Mbah inaugurated the Committee at the Government House in Enugu. He referred to local government as the level of government that is closest to the people and tasked members with making sure that the State Joint Local Government Account is used to report LGA income.
Because local governments are the parts of our government that are closest to the people, he said, “We believe we must ensure that the people who will manage and ensure the allocation, monitoring, and distribution of this account are credible people.
We feel that the local government is the best-positioned arm to do this since it is our responsibility to ensure that we help bring our people out of the abyss of poverty. Therefore, local government funding must not only contribute to the general welfare of our population, but also must be perceived to do so.
“Due to the importance of managing, overseeing, and disbursing the local government account, we have chosen you as individuals who are credible enough to carry out these responsibilities.”
Comrade Anthony Udeh, the chairman of the committee, spoke and thanked the governor for appointing deserving individuals to the committee. He also assured that the committee was prepared to carry out its duties in accordance with the administration’s vision and guiding principles of accountability and transparency.
We are also aware of the very terrible financial difficulties we are having in Nigeria, the United States, the states, and local governments. But even if the task at hand is difficult, we are up to it. Comrade Udeh promised, “We will support your expansive vision and your commitment to accountability and transparency.
The 1999 Constitution (as amended) stipulates, among other things, that each state shall maintain a special account to be called the “State Joint Local Government Account,” into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the State’s Government, which shall be distributed among the Local Government Councils of that State on such terms and in such a way as may be prescribed by the Constitution.
