Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has decried the abuse of Local Government Joint Account by some governors, saying he does not interfere with funds meant for local governments in the state.

Lalong stated this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

He said that even though he did not support the local government autonomy, he abhorred a situation where a state governor would exercise undue interference in the joint account.

Lalong said: “ I heard stories that in some states what they do is that when the money comes, they collapse it into one account and decide what goes into each local government.

“I fought against it as a Speaker, I cannot be part of it; so when the money comes, it is meant for the local government.

“The joint account is supposed to be part of the revenue that is supposed to come and 10 per cent of it is added to it.

“So, strictly speaking, talking about joint account, it is greatly abused, it is not that the concept is not good but it is abused.

“If it is properly used, there is no need to scrap it, but it is abused; so, there is a need to re-consider that issue.’’

Lalong said that the constitution had subsumed the local government into the state government, adding that true federalism should be canvassed instead of local government autonomy.

“For me, as for joint account, even as care taker committee in my state, I do not interfere with the accounts of local governments.

“They have their separate meetings and whatever is due to them goes to them.’’

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I don’t interfere with LG funds – Gov Lalong