24th January, 2017
Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has ordered Interim Management Committee chairmen in the 13 local government areas in the state to declare their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) or face sanctions.
Al-Makura gave the order on Tuesday in Lafia while inaugurating the Interim Management Committee Chairman of Keana Local Government Area.
He said that given the current economic crunch, it behoved on the chairmen to come up with alternative sources of revenue rather than rely solely on allocation from the Federation Account.
According to him, henceforth, any chairman of a local government area or overseer of a development area in the state who fails to declare his IGR does so at the peril of his job.
Al-Makura explained that the essence was to ensure transparency and prudent management of resources and accountability at the local government level.
He said that the appointment of overseers for the development areas was meant to decentralise the administration at the local level and make room for proper management.
The governor said that the appointment of interim chairmen had the legal backing of the House of Assembly, contrary to insinuations over its legality.
He explained that the appointment of interim chairmen for Keana and Keffi local government areas came later than others because the tenure of elected chairmen in the two councils did not elapse at the time they were constituted.