The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has shared the sum of N703.55 million among its six Area Councils – Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.
The FCTA is also to adopt a reward and sanction system for area councils in the FCT as part of measures to improve the level of performance and development of the Territory.
The Honourable Minister of State for FCT and the Chairperson of the FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja at the end of the committee’s meeting.
The money was part of the April 2012 revenue received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) after its meeting of May 18, 2012.
The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Engr. Anthony Ozodinobi; Director of Treasury, FCT, Alhaji Ibrahim Bomai; Secretary of the Area Councils Service Secretariat (ACSS), Mr. Yahaya Alhassan Ibrahim; chairmen of the six area councils and auditor general of FCT Area Councils, among others.
Akinjide explained that a total sum of N1.591 billion was received from the Federation Account for the FCT Area Councils, which was made up of Statutory Revenue Allocation of N723.22 million; Value Added Tax (N724.46 million); FCT’s 10 per cent Internally General Revenue (N120.29 million); and Refund by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (N23.10 million).
She said, “Of the N1.591 billion received for the FCT Area Councils, the following statutory deductions were made: Primary School Teachers (N776.58 million); 15% Pension Fund (N95.04 million) and 1 per cent Training Fund (N15.91 million).
Abuja Municipal, according to the minister, received the lion’s share of the revenue allocation of N153.1 million for April 2012 while Bwari Area Council got N119.29 million. Others are: Gwagwalada Area Council (N118.75 million), Abaji Area Council (N118.67 million), Kuje Area Council (N100.34 million), and Kwali Area Council (N93.38 million).
The minister, however, stated that future allocations to the six area councils would be based on performance and submission of monthly report on utilization of the funds. She noted that the Administration was not satisfied with the level of development in the area councils in spite of receiving monthly allocations.
