ALGON Tackles APC, Says Handling Of LG Funds Violated LG Finance Law

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State, says the handling of local government funds by the APC violated the Local Government Finance Law.

Hon. Sarafadeen Awotunde, ALGON Chairman, in a statement stated that the law is unambiguous, saying only Directors of Finance and Directors of Administration are legally recognised as signatories to local government accounts. Contrary to this clear provision, the APC ALGON is using politicians as signatories to operate local government accounts, which is a direct violation of the law.

According to him, the law also clearly specified what local government funds are meant for. Despite this, the APC is not paying the salaries of local government workers. Instead, funds are being used to pay people who were sacked by the court, and whose self-assigned tenure has lapsed.

ALGON stresses that those who have no tenure or who were removed by the court cannot appoint any officials and cannot be paying salaries. What is playing out is illegality built on illegality. Nothing legal can be built on an illegal foundation.

Hence, the APC chairmen without any mandate cannot draw salaries, cannot appoint officials, and cannot pay salaries to so-called appointees. Any action taken by such persons has no legal basis.

ALGON further states that the APC erred by violating the local government finance laws. UBA erred by opening accounts with illegal signatories, and the bank violated the law by paying local government funds to individuals without any legal mandate.