Alleged IGR Robbery: 18 LGAs Remit N3m In 30 Days
Dep Gov enraged as council areas remit paltry N3m in one month.
Edo state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, on Tuesday, described as criminal, the action by administrators of the 18 council areas to remit a paltry N3m as revenue generated in one month.
Shaibu, who made the statement in a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administration, HOLGAS, and Local Government Liaison Officers at Government House, Benin City, pointed out that apart from Egor LGA, which generated N1m, the other 17 council areas generated a combined N2m which he described as unacceptable.
Shaibu, who was in a combative mood, berated the council administrators appointed by the governor to oversee the affairs of the third tier of government, haven refused to conduct election to elect substantive heads in over almost three years.
He threatened that the state government may be forced to probe, arrest and dismiss any of the council personnel involved in shady deals, leading to the declining internally generated revenue, IGR, insisting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, may be invited to look into affairs of the councils.
"Only incompetence, abuse of office, lack of accountability and truancy, among others, can result in the 18 Local Government Councils generating a paltry sum of three million naira monthly as internally generated revenue.
"It is also impossible for motorcycles and tricycles to generate more revenue than cars and buses put together.
"We will invite EFCC to investigate your activities for the period under review and whoever that is culpable of any mismanagement be sacked, arrested and be made to face prosecution in a competent court of jurisdiction", Shaibu added.
Following the development, Shaibu directed HOLGAs and Laison Officers to immediately constitute a credible revenue task force across the 18 council areas to ensure proper collection of revenue for the purpose of accountability.
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