Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has expressed his firm support for full autonomy for local government council areas, clarifying the state’s position amidst ongoing legal proceedings.
Governor AbdulRazaq emphasized that Kwara State complies with all legal requirements concerning local government autonomy. “I believe each local government should manage its resources and be responsible for its obligations, including wages,” he stated. “The state governor should not be held liable if any local government fails to pay salaries since we do not interfere with their funds.”
He pointed out that unlike the previous administration, the current government does not have joint project accounts with any local government. “These are my personal beliefs. However, my personal belief does not necessarily align with the law, including the provisions of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), which is a constitutional creation.”
According to AbdulRazaq, local government allocations are sent to the JAAC as mandated by Section 162 of the Constitution. “No activity of the local government in Kwara State contradicts these legal provisions. Our court case is about defending the constitution, which established JAAC for reasons based on our collective experiences.”
He further explained that JAAC consolidates resources to pay teachers, health workers, traditional rulers, and other statutory duties assigned to local government areas. “If there is a national consensus to change this, we believe the constitution will need to be amended to remove JAAC,” he added.
