FCT Area Councils get N2.13b from Federation Account

The Federation Account Allocation Committee allocated revenue totaling N2,130,018,549.26 to the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory for the month of July 2013, the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, has revealed.
Akinjide made this known at the FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting, where the current developments in education, sanitation, primary healthcare in the area councils were evaluated.
She disclosed that Value Added Tax accounted for N1,254,898,571.99 (58.9 per cent) of the total revenue received from the Federation Account.
The FCT Area Councils, which comprises Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali, had received N1.059 billion and N682.48 million from VAT in May and June 2013, respectively.
Other revenue allocations received by the area councils from the FAAC include: Statutory Revenue Allocation of N792.80 million; Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, N56.77 million; and refund by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, N25.54 million.
The FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee approved the statutory transfer of N918.51 million to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board for the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries in the six area councils.
Other statutory transfers approved by the Committee were: 15 per cent Pension Fund, N95.04 million; one per cent Training Fund, N21.30 million; Health Insurance Contribution, N44.27 million; LEA Teachers Monetisation Entitlement, N89.93 million; sanitation, N30.87 million; and Employer Pension Contribution, N40.10 million.
The minister noted that the JAAC meeting was not only about sharing of revenue allocation but also reviewing and taking policy decision.
Akinjide said: “This is a serious meeting where we take policy decisions. We review the sanitation in the area councils, primary healthcare service delivery, polio eradication, community based health insurance scheme, education and capacity building in the area councils, among others.
“We also monitor on a monthly basis the projects executed by the Area Councils. We have the Department of Inspection, Planning and Monitoring in the Area Council Services Secretariat, which monitors the projects and programmes in the area councils and report to the FCT Area Councils Joint Account allocation Committee.”
The breakdown of the revenue allocation for the month of July 2013 showed that Gwagwalada Area Council received N154.41 million; Bwari Area Council, N145.99 million; Abuja Municipal Area Council, N139.66 million; Kuje Area Council, N136.54 million; Abaji Area Council, N128.08 million; and Kwali Area Council, N125.94 million.
The JAAC meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary, FCT, Engr. John Chukwu; Secretary of Area Council Services Secretariat, Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim Gwagwa; Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairman, Hon. Micah Jiba; Kuje Area Council Chairman, Hon. Ishyaku Tete Shaban; Kwali Area Council Chairman, Hon. Daniel Ibrahim; Abaji Area Council Chairman, Hon. Yahaya Garba Gawu; and Gwagwalada Area Council Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri.
Others at the meeting were: the Director of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Ari Isa Mohammed; the Director of Satellite Towns Development Agency, Alhaji Tukur Bakori; the Auditor General of FCT Area Councils, Dr. Fred Omaka; the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Area Councils and Resettlement, Alhaji Yusuf Tsaiyabu; and Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Environment, Ayo Sotinrin.