APC Tells Federal Government To Account For 'Huge' Monthly Budgetary Allocations

Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government should account for the monthly budgetary allocations from the Federation Account, said the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lai Mohammed in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, June 2.

The statement comes after the Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from the state and local governments. She also listed top ten states with the highest budgetary allocations in 2013.

Although the APC agreed that the governments at all levels ought to be held accountable for money utilisation, the party said that the biggest challenge should be directed at the FG.

"While all the 36 states together collect only 26.72% and all the 774 local governments collect a total 20.6%,the Federal Government alone takes 52.68%, hence it bears the greatest responsibility to Nigerians in terms of the provision of social amenities, creation of jobs and infrastructural development," reads the APC's statement in part.

"Since education, agriculture and health, for example, fall under the concurrent list, Nigerians must – in addition to challenging their state governments – ask the Federal Government what it has done with its huge chunk of federal allocations, against the background of massive unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure and the poor health facilities that have seen public officials, including the President, scurrying to foreign hospitals for medical treatment."

The APC alleged that the achievements of the Jonathan-led FG constituted a mere tokenism compared with the quantum of funds that have accrued to it.

The opposition party also said that the FG must lead the local and state governments by example by demonstrating responsibility and accountability.