Edo councils spend N1.36 billion on traditional rulers, salaries

The authorities of the 18 local government councils in Edo state said it has spent the sum of N1.36 billion for the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries, traditional rulers and training fund in the month of March.

Akeens Ade-Akhani, Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), Owan East local government made the disclosure at the end of the state Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC) in Benin-City.

Akhani said the sum of  N2.10 billion accrued to the 18 local governments in the state as total statutory allocation from both the Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR in the month of March.

He said the sum of N748 million was however left as distributable amount to the LGAs for the payment of  staff salaries.

He attributed the increment of about N21 million in the month of March to the introduction of an electronic means of revenue collection process in some LGs in the state.

“Edo Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC) has declared N2.10 billion as total allocation accrued to the 18 local governments in the state from both Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the Federation Account for March.

“The sum of N1.36 billion of the total allocation accruable in March was used as mandatory expenditure including payment of primary school teachers’ salaries, traditional rulers’ and training fund percentage.

“While the sum of N748 million left served as distributable amount to the LGAs for the payment of  staff salaries”, he said.

Akhani also disclosed that about N15million and N7 million were collected as revenue in Oredo and Egor LGs respectively with the use of electronic process from March 22 to May 11, 2017.

He explained that the state governor, Governor Godwin Obaseki had charged the heads of the various councils to ensure that they joined the state government to tackle security challenges in the State.