Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Muktar Abdulgafar, say local governments in the state are looking inward for alternative funding of their activities as against total reliance on shared revenue from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
This, according to him, is part of the determination to raise internally generated revenue to a level that can sustain development and allow for financial independence of local government councils.
Inaugurating two special committees at the council hall in Ilorin, the state capital, the chairman explained that, “as we are aware of the fact that, the economic global situation is taking its toll on the economies of the countries, including Nigeria and our local government is not left out in the spiral effect, of the economic crunch. In order to curb this, there is a need to chart a new road map that will take us out of this predicament.
“One of the steps to alleviate the grinding effect of our present situation is to look towards alternative funding of the local government activities as against total reliance on federal revenue allocation. We, therefore, bring about formation of the two committees; committee on improvement of internal generated revenue (IGR), re- identification of local government properties and committee on corporate social development”
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The council boss clarified that the two committees would work in line with the laws, rules and regulations of the local government, adding that the first committee would harness the properties and foster interest of the local government, determine the extent of its benefits towards efficient revenue generation and improvement of IGR.
While the second committee would concentrate on tasking industries and commercial centres on their social responsibilities to their host communities.
Abdulgafar, however, implored the committee members to work assiduously and reposition revenue standing of the local government, saying that they were carefully selected as members of the committees, based on their integrity and result oriented record”
The two committees were given four weeks to submit their reports to the council.
