The Association of Local Government of Nigeria on Monday disowned the ongoing strike action by the National Union of Local Government Employee in Delta State over unpaid salaries and allowances.
Instead, the Delta State chapter of ALGON exonerated Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, blaming the challenges facing the council areas on the dwindling federal allocation to the state.
Briefing journalists in Asaba, the 25 council chairmen in the state condemned the speculations across the state that the state government was pilfering the councils’ funds.
Led by their Chairman, Sir Malik Itiako Ikpopor, the council bosses, who revealed that federal allocation to the state since they resumed office on October 26 last year had been poor, said it was wrong for anyone to heap the blame on the outgoing administration of Governor Uduaghan.
Ikpopor said: “Sharp drop in the prices of oil, which has taken toll on federal allocations to states, has badly affected allocation to the council areas.
“Account of federal allocation to the state has been straight.
“It is therefore wrong for anyone to argue that the governor has been pilfering our funds.
“Instead, the state government has been augmenting council funds with over N600 million monthly.”
Ikpopor said the councils are suffering because all areas of their Internally Generated Revenue of the councils were clashing with those of states and federal governments.
They appealed to NULGE in the state to call off their two weeks strike action but engage the state government in fruitful negotiation.
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