Newscenter Media News 
A former Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Dr. Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, has accused Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of withholding funds meant for the state’s 34 local government councils despite a Supreme Court judgment granting councils financial autonomy.
Inuwa made the allegation on Friday evening while speaking with journalists at his residence in Katsina.
He claimed that the state government still controls local government allocations from the federation account, contrary to the ruling of the apex court.
The Supreme Court had barred state governments from collecting and withholding local government allocations and ordered the Accountant-General of the Federation to pay the funds directly to the councils.
The former SSG described the alleged action as “unconstitutional, illegal and an impeachable offence,” arguing that local governments, as the third tier of government, are constitutionally empowered to manage their finances and execute projects independently for grassroots development.
Inuwa, who is also the Katsina State leader of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, said it was wrong for the state government to determine projects executed by local councils.
“There is no financial autonomy for local governments in Katsina. The governor has withheld local government funds and releases money to them at will, which is why they are executing similar projects,” he said.
Reacting, the Director-General, Media, to Governor Radda, Maiwada Danmallam, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the state government was not withholding council funds.
Danmallam said the state and local governments are constitutionally empowered to jointly plan and execute development projects, citing Section 7(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
“Accusing the state government of withholding local government funds only reflects ignorance of the constitutional provisions guiding this matter,” he said.
He added that the Katsina State Government had established the State Joint Planning Board for State and Local Governments, which, according to him, operates within the framework of the constitution.