Barely three weeks after it froze the account of council areas, the Katsina State government yesterday directed for partial unfreezing of the account.
The state deputy governor, Mannir Yakubu, directed for partial opening of the LG accounts during a meeting with treasurers of the 34 council areas, yesterday.
Permanent secretary of state Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Danjuma Mamuda Daura who briefed newsmen after the meeting said the directive was to enable council areas render essential services.
Daura said the partial opening of the account was to enable council areas handle recurrent expenditures stressing that measures had been taken to ensure that due process was followed in spending LG funds.
He said the decision to unfreeze the account was to enable council areas use the funds for payment of salaries, and procurement of essential drugs for health centres insisting that government’s directive to freeze the account was not meant to witch-hunt any one.
The permanent secretary said letters had been sent to each of the council areas mandating them to spend the money only on things that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.
Continuing, Daura said the council areas can have access to their accounts by applying to the banks.
It would be recalled that the Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, upon assuming office, froze accounts of all the 34 LGs in the state.
The directive generated mixed reactions with the opposition PDP describing it as deliberate attempt to stifle council areas.
Katsina Unfreezes LGs’ Account
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