Onuigbo Urges Nigerians to Demand LG Funds as Governors Hoard FAAC Revenues
Sam Onuigbo, former two-term member of the National Assembly and sponsor of Nigeria's Climate Change Act 2021, urged Nigerians to hold state governors accountable for misappropriating Local Government funds despite increased FAAC revenues from petrol subsidy removal. Speaking in Abuja earlier today, he noted that while the Federal Government gets 52.68% and state governments receive 47.32% (comprising 26.72% for states and 20.60% for local governments) of FAAC allocations, only Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu allow LG councils to access their full constitutional share directly.
The former Abia State Finance Commissioner criticized the widespread use of Joint Account Committees (JACs) by state governors to control LG funds, which leaves councils without essential resources for agriculture programs, rural road construction and community safety initiatives that could identify potential trouble makers before issues escalate to state or federal agencies like the Department of State Services (DSS). Onuigbo lamented that overgrown weeds at many LG headquarters serve as visible evidence that governors have effectively "banished the third tier of government," contributing to persistent economic hardship, unemployment and insecurity as funds meant for grassroots development remain hoarded at state level instead of reaching communities that need them most for basic services and economic opportunities.
He urged voters to challenge governors to account for the substantial financial boost they've received under President Tinubu's administration, arguing that proper LG funding would enable councils to pursue productive agricultural projects, improve rural infrastructure and create local employment opportunities that could significantly reduce rural-to-urban migration while strengthening community resilience against insecurity. Will you demand your LG chairman receive their constitutionally allocated 20.60% FAAC share, or accept the current system where state governors control these funds meant for local development?