How FCT Minister, Akinjide Milk Area Councils

The way and manners the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and his minister of state, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide are exploiting the area councils is the main reason why the House of Representatives members on Area Councils want to commence probe into the deductions by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA.
During our investigation, we discovered that the area councils are unable to carry out developmental programmes because of their lean purses from the FCTA.
Further investigation revealed that there were complaints from different quarters which have been received by the House Committee Chairman on Area Councils and Ancillary Matters.
Meanwhile, information reaching us has it that the House may also probe the N800 million liability of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Universal Basic Education Board.
During a recent tour of the area councils and other agencies in the Territory, committee members resolved that the issue of statutory deductions of Area Councils fund should not be treated with levity, even as they also resolved that the committee will summon the minister of state for FCT, Akinjide who presided over the Joint Account Allocation Committee, JAAC, to explain in detail how the deductions are being made.
Vice chairman of the committee on Area Councils and Ancillary Matters in the House of Representatives, Hon. Khamisu Mailantarki who ruled on the resolution passed by members during a visit to FCT Universal Basic Education Board to climax its oversight functions noted that the issue of statutory deductions has become a recurring decimal in all the areas visited without corresponding development in those areas.
Committee members were shocked to note that the funds being deducted by the FCTA are not remitted to the relevant agencies for disbursement; rather the funds are domiciled in an unspecified account of the administration.
They observed that out of N2.7 billion appropriated for the board in 2013 budget, the board has recorded zero implementation of the 2013 budget due to none release of funds to the Board.
In one of the agencies visited, a member of the committee, Hon. Ahmed Idris noted with dissatisfaction the huge amount of money claimed to be deducted from the council's funds without meaningful development at the rural areas.
“My colleagues, this is a serious issue on our hands. In all the places visited, this issue of deductions keeps resurfacing. Before now, we were told that there are no deductions made by the FCT Administration. But the story we hear in all the areas visited is different. We keep hearing of JAAC where billions of naira are being deducted from area council without commiserate development in the areas where the funds should be used for development.
“We are going to invite whoever is responsible for this JAAC and explain to us how these funds are utilized for the benefit of the people we represent. If possible, we will organise Public Hearing on this matter,” Idris stated.
Earlier in his remarks, the executive chairman of FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Umar Ningi told committee members that the Board liabilities have risen to the tune of N800 million, noting that the Board could not carry out any capital project in the first quarter due to paucity of funds and late releases.
He equally lamented that out of the two main sources of funds to the board, it is only the FCTA that has released funds to the board, while the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, the other source of fund to the Board has not released anything to them.
Hon. Mailantarki who stood in for the committee chairman described the situation in FCT Universal Basic Education Board as 'worrisome', even as he called on other members to report the matter to the general house for further deliberations.
We gathered that the deduction varies depending on what is shared. No matter how small, the FCTA still deduct the money not minding what is left for the area councils hence some of them find it difficult to pay their workers while so many of them are owing contractors huge sum of money.
During a visit to some of the councils, we discovered so many abandoned projects which the chairmen who spoke on anonymity claimed were due to paucity of funds. They claimed that most times when they release money to the FCTA, it takes them months to give them because they use these monies to generate interest in the bank and when they eventually release the money, they will be too meager. One of them confided in The Hunters that most times, they go borrowing from banks and ended up paying more than what they collect from FCTA to banks.
One of the records shown to The Hunters revealed that the money they collect if all the councils are put together are not up to what an area council in Cross River, Zamfara or Kaduna collects.
A source in one of the area councils also disclosed that the money they gave to the area councils are meant for them to enjoy themselves and if they have any project to execute, they report to the minister for approval for funds hence some area councils don't bother about projects while some of them have the confidence to abandon projects.
We also heard that the chairmen discussed their plight with the minister, Bala Mohammed but their plea fell on deaf ears. One of the chairmen who spoke on anonymity for fear of victimization disclosed that the minister turned deaf ears because he and Akinjide share the deductions but did not reveal what they use it for because the agencies that ought to benefit are also complaining.
“Only those who are eyeing higher political positions or re-election or those who are passionate about their people and want to leave legacies behind that bother themselves about projects. Ordinarily, the money given to them are for personal use and probably for salaries.
“You people should help us because the minister, Bala who we suppose to report to also is aware of the deduction and there is no way he won't share from it, afterall the woman (Akinjide) takes directives from him,” he further disclosed.
“If there is anyway you people can help to expose these people, we will appreciate because this is cheating and wickedness,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the FCTA has denied deductions of area council funds, even as the Administration re-affirmed its commitments to the development of the councils.
In a swift reaction, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Engr. John Chukwu, disclosed that no illegal deductions were made by the Administration from the revenue allocation of the area councils.
“The FCT Administration does not tamper with the revenue allocation of the Area Councils,” Chukwu stated.
He noted that the Administration would continue to rigorously monitor and supervise the area councils as well as render assistance to enable them meet the aspiration of the people.
Efforts by The Hunters to get the reaction of the minister of State, Akinjide proved abortive, instead, the Special Adviser, Richmod, who claimed to be a lawyer, in a telephone conversation, threatened to drag The Hunters to court if we go ahead with this publication.