LG allocations increased by 100%, protest ought to start there – Chairman

Alhaji Fatai Ayoola, Chairman, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, says #EndBadGovernance protest ought to begin from council areas in view of their increased federal allocations.

Ayoola said that local government allocations increased by 100 per cent under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, adding that the protesters ought to have started the nationwide demonstration from their respective council areas.

“Let’s assume we were earning N50 million in the past. We now earn N100 million,” Ayoola said in an interview our reporter.

He added that states, particularly oil-producing ones, earned huge allocations under the administration and must make much impact on the citizens to justify the earnings.

He said it was wrong for EndBadGovernance protesters to leave their councils and state governments and besiege another state.

“Delta, for instance, is earning more than all the states in South West put together.

“These are the fundamental questions we must ask ourselves,” he said.

It was reported that youths and others began a nationwide protest on Aug. 1 to draw attention of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

The protest was scheduled to end on Aug. 10.

In a national broadcast on Sunday, however. Tinubu told the protesters to end the demonstration, saying that his administration was doing much to improve the economy and reduce hardship.

Ayoola told our reporter that local councils and state governments must do their best for the citizens so as to complement Federal Government’s efforts.

He said that there was need for Nigerians to understand the roles of all the tiers of government.

“Many Nigerians do not even understand the policies of the Bola Tinubu administration and how policies work.

“There is a big disconnect between what the government is doing and the way people perceive the government outside.

“I think there are opinion moulders who are trying to mislead our youths,” he said.

The chairman said that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had been accountable for federal allocations to Lagos State.

According to Ayoola, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government had carried out numerous projects, including construction of over 70 roads, 400 culverts, 28 school buildings, and sporting centres in all schools in the council area.

Ayoola urged Nigerians to hold their state governors and local government chairmen more accountable in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to local government.