Lagos House of Assembly on Monday disagreed with some local government chairmen over the latter’s claims of a paucity of funds as a hindrance to the development of infrastructure in their areas.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Community Affairs, Olayiwola Olawale, during an oversight tour of Ikorodu and the local council development areas in the zone.

The other committee members were Joseph Kehinde, Alimosho II, Rasheed Makinde, Ifako Ijaiye II, Nureni Akinsanya Mushin I and Mr Rauf Age-Sulaimon Amuwo Odofin II.

Mr. Olawale disputed the council chairmen’s claims, arguing that enough funds are flowing from the federal and state governments into local council coffers.

The lawmaker representing Mushin Constituency II noted that the issue was the lack of creative ways of generating funds to help councils develop their infrastructure.

Mr. Olawale said, “I don’t know what they mean by the paucity of funds. You and I know that there are enough funds coming from the federal, as well as the state, into the local government administrations.

“What I discovered is that they are not putting genuine effort into the local administration of funds. They are not using their creative ways to generate funds. Agreed, it is an agrarian area but still surrounded by many commercial ventures that they can tap on. The leadership of the councils still needs to be re-orientated and enlightened on how to generate funds.”

Mr. Kehinde, representing Alimosho Constituency II, said, “Before our visitation, I was one of those people that usually believed that Ikorodu did not have money. If they are saying they don’t have enough funds, are they judiciously spending the money they have collected?” 

Earlier, some council chairmen had complained about the paucity of funds hindering infrastructural development in their areas.

The Chairman of Ikorodu West LCDA, Olajumoke Ademeyin-Jimbo, said efforts were being made to increase the council’s revenue to meet their infrastructural needs.

Ms. Ademeyin-Jimbo said that the council needed money to rehabilitate the roads in its rural communities.

The Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Wasiu Ayodeji, also acknowledged the challenge posed by the paucity of funds.

“The challenge is finance, especially with the splitting of Ikorodu Local Government into six. However, we are appealing to the state government and the assembly to come to our aid in terms of the development of infrastructure in the council areas,” he said.

Sesan Daini, Chairman of Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, said all grey areas discovered by the committee would be looked into, pointing out that the councils would embark on more projects.

The Chairman of Imota LCDA, Wasiu Agoro, said the council had improved welfare for its staff, and its internal revenue generation improved.

(NAN)