Umar Mu’azu, a community leader in Katsina State, has urged state governors to respect Local Government Councils’ financial autonomy to fight poverty and reduce unemployment at the grassroots.

“It’s unfortunate, LGCs don’t have access to grants meant for them. The governors hold the funds in the name of the state/LGC Joint Account.

“It’s only the governors that can determine how the money should be spent,” he said.

Mr Mu’azu said this in an interview on the sideline of the 30th coronation anniversary of the district head of Danja, Mohammed Tukur-Bature, on Sunday in Danja.

He attributed the bedevilling insecurity in parts of the country to a high unemployment rate among the youths in the society.

The community leader said that if LGCs are given their monthly subventions directly from the federation account, they would be able to provide employment for the teeming youths and execute meaningful projects for the masses at the grassroots.

He, therefore, advised the governors to release LGCs’ money directly from the federal purse to enable them to execute viable projects and provide employment for the youths in their respective areas.

In March, the Senate passed the LG Financial and Administrative Autonomy Bills.

The bill seeks to amend the constitution to repeal the State/LG Joint Account and provide a special account where all allocations due to the LGCs from the federation account and state government shall be paid.

Under the new law, each LGC is expected to create and maintain its special account to be called the Local Government Allocation Account, into which all the allocations will be paid.

(NAN)