Niger Government announced on Thursday that about N6.4 billion was released to the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from the Paris Club refund it collected from Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alhaji Zakari Jikantoro, Commissioner for Local Government, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the state weekly executive council meeting.
He said that the fund was spent on prompt payment of workers’ salaries and provision of capital projects.
He said that the state executive council approved the budget estimate for the local councils as part of the effort to re-position local administration for optimal growth.
According to Jikantoro, the revenue estimates of the total budget is N52.8 billion consisting of statutory allocation of N39.4 billion, representing 78 per cent of the total projection.
He said that internally generated revenue of the councils was N960 billion, representing 1.90 per cent; Value Added Tax, N7.9 billion, representing 15 per cent.
He said 10 per cent of local government dues from state’s internal generated revenue would account for N1.1 billion or 2.30 per cent of the budget.
He further announced that capital receipt was estimated at N1.1 billion or 1.98 per cent of the budget, adding that the 2018 budget estimate was slightly higher than the 2017 estimates for the councils by N400 million.
The commissioner explained that already more capital projects in the areas of water supply, health care delivery, agriculture, feeder roads and education had been initiated for implementation .
He said that the state government planned to engage the service of revenue consultants to ensure proper collections in the state .
He said that funds realised would be used in providing basic infrastructure that would improve the lots of the people.
He called on the people to reciprocate government’s gestures by protecting its property in their domains against vandalization.(NAN)
