States are not doing the needful for Nigerians’ sufferings to reduce - Reps

…To investigate states’ utilisation of FAAC increased allocation

By Abiodun OBA

If the states are doing the needful, the sufferings of Nigerians would have reduced.

Representative Ademorin Kuye (APC-Lagos) submitted in a motion of urgent public importance on the floor of the House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday.

Kuye argued that states and local government areas now received more monies from FAAC in the last seven months after the subsidy removal.

He submitted that states and local government areas received N6.57 trillion in 2023, which he said, was double the N3.16 trillion they received in 2022.

Kuye however, regretted that more than 14.2 million citizens continued to grapple with poverty despite the availability of more cash to the states.

He added that in spite the increase, some states were still faced with the challenges of payment of salaries, effective management of public institutions, the provision of public transportation, and access to potable water.

He added that the unemployment rate had increased to more than 51 per cent in some of the states.

“It is worrisome that some state governors have brazenly refused to complement the Federal Government’s poverty amelioration efforts and are not driving the necessary economic transformation.

“If the states are doing the needful, that would have reduced the sufferings of Nigerians,” Kuye said.

The House of Representatives following the adoption of the motion, mandated its Committees on Special Duties, National Planning, and Economic Development to look into spending and utilisation of increased allocations from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) by state governments.

The committee on Inter-Governmental Affairs was also mandated to join the investigation and report back to the house within four weeks for further legislative action.