Hyacinth Alia begins LG reforms, says funds will be released directly to administrators

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, says he has commenced the reforms of local government systems in the state.

In a statement on Wednesday, Alia spoke during a meeting with traditional rulers in the state.

He also directed the bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs to restore some of the statutory duties of the LGAs to the councils’ officials.

Speaking with journalists on the outcome of the meeting, Denis Akura, special adviser to the governor on bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs, said security issues in communities have been entrusted to traditional rulers.

Akura said the governor has directed that “all monies allocated for imprest and other running costs be released directly to the administrators at the local government levels”.

He said all director-general of services and administration (DGSA) who are currently serving as acting chairmen have been asked to present a need assessment to manage issues of urgent attention at LGAs.

He said the need assessment is necessary to address issues of office maintenance and repairs of drainages and culverts among other problems.

“I resumed duty just a few days back and in our first JAC (joint account), meeting we introduced certain reforms that were not implemented in the last administrations,” he said.

“We directed DGSAs who are the acting chairmen of our various local government councils to revert to the old methods, old policies, old ways of paying and the required imprest and other administrative running costs to staff of LGAs, the HODs, the DCSAs and all other relevant staff of LGs so that they have what is required for them; so that we can hold them accountable for their actions.

“So as it is for now, in the LG system, the HODs are going to collect their correct imprest, not the one that was being paid by past administrations and that will boost their morale so that we will get the best out of them.

“We were able to release some money for administrative running costs so that some other things that are very necessary for the smooth running of the government can be done at that level.”

The special adviser added that the state will now begin payment of salaries on the 25th of every month as part of the LGA reforms.

Commenting on insecurity in the state, he said “ the governor had implored traditional rulers to up their ante by ensuring that the security situation in their various domains improved for the better”.