Taraba: How I’m handling LG autonomy — Kefas

Governor Kefas Agbu of Taraba State, has explained his approach to implementing local government autonomy, saying the local council has been granted financial autonomy but is being supervised. 

The governor, who spoke during an interview with select journalists in Lagos, noted that that his approach was aimed at restoring efficiency and accountability at the grassroots level.

He said the decision was driven by the need to ensure that local governments function as independent arms of government in line with constitutional provisions.

“It’s all about financial autonomy. The money goes to the local government,” he said. 

Despite granting autonomy, the governor said his administration still plays a supervisory role to ensure funds are properly utilised.

“So, what we do is, this money is your (LG) money. We identify the things that people want and ensure the money go to those things. So, while they (LG chairmen) are there, the money is in their custody. But, I am overseeing what they are doing with the money,” Kefas said. 

The governor maintained that his government does not interfere with local government funds but ensures they are tied strictly to development projects.

“I have never touched local government funds. All the local government funds are directed to projects.”

And I make sure that they don’t even have money to contemplate using it for anything else. They must make sure that the money is tied to projects. The money is tied to things in the local government,” he added.

The governor added that the approach was already yielding results, with ongoing projects expected to generate revenue for the state in the long term.

“And then, much later, those things that we are building will start yielding and generating revenues for the state. So, that is why I decided to implement the local government autonomy, and it’s working in Taraba,” Agbu said. 

He further disclosed that, “Sometimes, I also go out of my way to use the state resources to give to the local government chairman to renovate schools and do certain things that will benefit the people.”

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