THE Edo State Government has threatened to invite the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to probe the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profiles of the 18 local government areas of the state.
The move, the state government said became imperative in view of the abysmal N3 million revenue the 18 councils submitted as what it earned in a month.
It further threatened that the anti-graft agency would be made to probe, arrest and prosecute any Head of Local Government Administration, (HOLGA), or council personnel involved in shady deals, resulting in the declining IGR. Such persons would also be dismissed from the service of the state.
The threats were handed over by the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, on Tuesday at the Government House, Benin City, during a closed-door meeting with HOLGAs and Local Government Liaison Officers.
Also in attendance were leaders of the three recognised transport unions in the state. RTEAN, NURTW and ANNEWATT.
According to Shaibu, the EFCC might be invited by Edo State Government to look into the affairs of the Councils, given the embarrassing IGR submitted by the 18 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 (N3m) monthly as Internally Generated Revenue.”
Shaibu lamented that the IGR profile of Egor Local Government alone was one million naira, while the remaining 17 local government councils generated two million naira, describing it as criminal and unacceptable to the government.
“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 is culpable of any mismanagement will be sacked, arrested and made to face prosecution in a competent court of jurisdiction”, Shaibu vowed.
Meanwhile, the deputy governor has directed HOLGAs and Laison Officers to immediately constitute a credible revenue task force across the 18 LGAs to ensure proper collection of revenue for the purpose of accountability forthwith.
