Obaseki audits LGs, probes N10bn debt burden

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has commenced the auditing of local government accounts, as well as investigation of N10 billion debt portfolio of the past local government administration. The governor assured of his resolve to strengthen local governments for better service delivery to the grassroots.

Governor Obaseki, at an expanded meeting with leaders of Edo Central Senatorial District at Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, decried that the state is now operating a system that is not working in the grassroots. He emphasized that the government must deliver services to the people to achieve development.

The governor had declared: “I am doing an audit of all the local governments. In addition to all the receipts, they incurred debt of more than N10 billion; I want to find out what happened.

“We are operating a system that is not working anymore and we all must agree to change it because we are all involved. We can only deliver services to our people only if we agree moving forward.

“We must clean up the local government system knowing that elections will soon take us back to the people who will ask us about our electoral promises. The clean-up is necessary to enable us to deliver services to our people.

“It doesn’t matter how well we perform in the state, the local government is closest to the people. If the local government does not work, it will be difficult for us to show what we have achieved. What happens at the local government level affects the people.

“When the term of the past local government administration started, we knew that we had to undertake some changes. We sought people with integrity and experience to take charge of the local government. We know what happened during the political season.”

The governor further said: “I have come to realise that there are structural problems in the local government. We do not take money or touch the local government’s money. We are transparent and open as we do not interfere in the local government’s finances.
“If you want me to publish the amount that accrues to local governments monthly, I will do that to ensure transparency in the incoming administration. Moving forward, I will hold local government leaders responsible for any mismanagement.

“We are looking forward to fulfilling our promises to the people of the state. We must fix the engine of government, make it work more effectively and ensure development in the local government areas.”

Governor Obaseki also noted that
the money is not there again as it used to be. He said that dependence of money from Abuja is not possible anymore, adding: “that is why I am insisting and emphasising local government reforms.”

The governor stated that the 70 to 80 per cent of finance for local governments comes from Abuja, observing that there will be problems if the money stops coming.

Obaseki, therefore, appealed: “We will not and can’t continue like this. You will help me to stop people from collecting revenue and putting it in their private pockets. We have enough resources to keep us going.

“We must bring the leadership together and agree on the way forward as this is the only way to solve the problem faced by the State.”