The Bayelsa government has tasked local government council officials with fiscal discipline in managing public funds.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo gave the charge during an interaction with caretaker chairpersons and other principal officers of local governments on Wednesday in Yenagoa.

He said the administration would continue encouraging local government councils to save for the rainy day and embark on development projects in their domain. 

Mr Ewhrudjakpo said the compulsory savings practice by the councils would enable them to carry out some basic infrastructural projects to better the lot of rural dwellers. 

According to him, it is an aberration for local governments to be simply cash offices for payment of salaries while abdicating their responsibility to provide basic social amenities to their people to the state and federal governments.

He said that under Governor Douye Diri’s administration, the immediate past local government leaders could embark on several people-oriented projects to complement the state government’s effort.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo further said that the government was desirous to foster rapid infrastructural development in the rural areas. 

“This has led to the decision to save local government funds monthly to prudently finance capital projects that address the critical needs of the people. When I came in as deputy governor, I had to rejig the local government system of our state and initiated the compulsory monthly savings with the full support of the governor.

“That is why we are able to do projects in our local government areas. When the monthly allocation comes, after paying salaries, 60 per cent of what is left goes for capital projects, while 40 per cent is for recurrent. And then, from the funds meant for recurrent, we still set aside 50 per cent as savings. So, what comes to the local government councils as recurrent is about 20 per cent of the total allocation,” he said. 

Mr Ewhrudjakpo said that LGAs are supposed to be the first development centres because of their closeness to the people.

“Unfortunately, we have turned LGAs into cash offices where people just collect salaries and go home, but I can assure you that will not continue under my watch.

“We are in a pretentious recession in Nigeria. So, if we don’t save this money, a time will come when even to pay council workers’ salaries will be difficult,” he said. 

The deputy governor advised the caretaker chairpersons to carry the members along, including informing them of key decisions and developments affecting the councils.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo also addressed some of the complaints tabled by the caretaker members. He assured them that the government would shortly address them through the office of the secretary to state government.

(NAN)