Kwara Shuts Down Major Market After Receiving Distressing Credible Intel
- Ifelodun Local Government chairman AbdulRasheed Femi Yusuf says Kwara’s 16 council bosses operate with full autonomy under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
- Yusuf explains that funds are shared transparently through the Joint Allocation Account Committee, with no interference from the governor
- Security concerns have forced the temporary closure of cattle markets and tighter regulations to curb informant activities linked to banditry
The Executive Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara state, Hajji AbdulRasheed Femi Yusuf, has declared that all the sixteen local government chairmen across the state are enjoying full autonomy under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Yusuf made this known on Wednesday while answering questions asked by Legit.ng correspondent at a press briefing held in the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Ilorin.
Source: Facebook
Kwara LG chairmen confirm true autonomy
The council chairman stated that contrary to speculations that local government chairmen across the state were being controlled by the governor, his experience has been one of total independence in the discharge of his duties.
He said:
“Kwara state local government, we are enjoying autonomy. Since I assumed office, there has been no single day the governor called me as the executive chairman of Ifelodun and said, ‘do this or don’t do this.’ To the best of my knowledge, he has not asked anyone among us to put any money in somebody’s account.”
According to him, Governor AbdulRazaq had from the onset made it clear to the council bosses that they were elected by the people and must focus on people-oriented projects.
Yusuf quoted the governor as telling them:
“It was the people that elected you. You should do people-oriented projects. I am not sending anybody to you, I am not sending any contractor to you. If anybody comes and says otherwise, don’t answer him. If I need anything from you, I will call you directly myself.”
The Ifelodun chairman, however, admitted that financial constraints remain a major challenge, as no amount of allocation will ever be enough to meet the needs of the people.
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“The question of whether the local government is comfortable—well, even Nigeria is not comfortable with the increased allocations. No money is enough to satisfy our people,” he added.
On the issue of financial management at the local government level, Yusuf clarified that while funds are not paid directly into the LG accounts, they are managed in line with constitutional provisions through the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC).
Source: Original
He explained:
“I want to tell you that the only thing that is missing in Kwara local government autonomy is that money is not being paid directly into our account. It is being paid into a joint account by the local governments, which is in the constitution. And at the JAAC meeting, everybody is there, the vice chairman, the treasurer, the chairmen are there, while the Commissioner of Finance, who is not a signatory to that account, oversees the sharing process.”
Security measures tightened as markets reopen
Speaking further, the Ifelodun chairman addressed the rising insecurity in parts of the local government, especially attacks linked to informants and criminal networks.
According to him, the local council had to take drastic measures, including temporarily shutting down cattle markets, after intelligence revealed that bandits were using the markets to exchange information.
“We shut cattle markets when we noticed that informants were using the markets to exchange information with bandits. When we did that, we were able to cut down the practice,” Yusuf said.
He noted that while the markets have since been reopened, they now operate under strict regulations.
“The markets were eventually reopened with strict monitoring, limiting their activities to between 6 am and 6 pm daily,” he explained.
The council chairman also highlighted how insecurity disrupted development projects, including the opening of rural roads.
“When we began opening up roads, they attacked because free movement of traffic would obstruct their activities and allow vigilance members and security agencies to close in on them,” Yusuf said.
INEC Shuts offices in Kwara after kidnap threats
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that fear had gripped several communities in Kwara state following fresh attacks by suspected terrorists, popularly known as bandits, who are now targeting politicians and electoral officials.
Legit.ng gathered that on Sunday night, gunmen stormed Sakpefu community in the Lade district of Patigi Local Government Area and abducted the wife and daughter of the local chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mohammed Swasun.
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Source: Legit.ng
