PDP pledges to end joint account in Zamfara

The Zamfara governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Bello Matawalle says he will end Local Government Joint Account with the state if elected.

Matawalle made the pledge during a campaign rally in Bakura town, the headquarters of Bakura Local Government Area on Friday.

Matawalle said the decision to abolish the joint account was to give free hand to the councils to handle their finances.

He said that joint account was detrimental to the provisions of infrastructure at the grassroots.

“Our concern is to have accelerated development at grassroots, we, therefore, ought to allow local government officials to handle their finances,” he said

According to him, local government secretariats are virtually empty as a result of the joint account.

” It is worrisome that the elected council officials and workers are deserting their offices as there is no money to operate because of the joint account,” he said

Matawalle expressed concerns that provision of health care, water supply and other essential services rendered by local government had ceased.

” We all know the reason behind the creation of local government areas was to take government closer to the people at grassroots, but the joint account has crippled their operations,” he said

He appealed to the electorates to stand firmly to vote for PDP to get the desired change in governance.

(NAN)