ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State House of Assembly has moved decisively to elevate the impact of governance at the grassroots level, adopting crucial recommendations laid out by its Public Accounts Committee.
In a session presided over by Speaker Emomotimi Guwor, the assembly directed the twenty-five local government councils within the state to prioritize the allocation of funds toward capital projects, aiming to tangibly enhance citizen experience and engagement with governance initiatives.
The committee, headed by Hon. James Augoye, highlighted critical directives during Tuesday’s plenary session, including stringent adherence to regulatory frameworks governing the operations of these councils.
Augoye underscored the imperative need for local councils to intensify internal revenue generation through leveraging Information Communication Technology (ICT) and outlined the necessity of formulating realistic budget and revenue targets for future performance enhancements.
“Proper training for all Accounts staff or schedule Officers is crucial to combat issues like improper bookkeeping, delays in financial statement submissions, and irregularities in Bank Reconciliations,” he stated, emphasising the necessity for structured and ongoing training initiatives.
Moreover, Augoye emphasized the need for strict oversight on advances granted to staff and projects, advocating against advances exceeding six months’ worth of salaries. He stressed that any outstanding advances must obtain written approval from the Executive Committee before further approval can be granted to the respective officer.
The lawmaker reiterated the significance of allocating more funds toward capital projects for grassroots impact and urged councils to address non-performing investments and dormant deposits promptly. Continuous audits of local government accounts were proposed to identify and rectify lapses before final audit reports are issued.
Revealing the financial scenario, Augoye disclosed that the local governments accrued 71.2 billion naira from various revenue sources in the reviewed year. However, the approved budget estimates for the same period totaled 104.8 billion naira, indicating a 68% budget performance. This shortfall between received funds and budgetary provisions highlighted the challenges faced by these councils in meeting their financial targets.
The assembly, upon a motion moved by Majority Leader Emeka Nwaobi, adopted the Committee’s recommendations. Speaker Emomotimi Guwor further directed the Clerk of the House to promptly communicate the legislature’s resolution on the local government council accounts to the Auditor General’s Office, underscoring the urgency and importance of the directives.
Commending the exhaustive efforts of the Public Accounts Committee in scrutinizing the Auditor General’s report on the Separate Accounts of Delta State’s 25 local government councils for the year ended December 31, 2022, Speaker Guwor emphasized the significance of this comprehensive review in enhancing transparency and accountability at the grassroots level.
