This they attributed to the challenge posed by the implementation of the Na­tional Finance Intelligent Unit (NFIU) on direct allo­cation to local governments.

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According NULGE, the situation has worsened by the non-remittance of 10 per cent required from Niger state government of its In­ternally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the state and Local Government Joint Accounts for upwards of ten years as provided for by law.

Alhaji Abdulkareem Lafene, the State NULGE chairman disclosed this in Minna on Thursday, saying that in the last three months, 13 out of 15 LGCs have been struggling to meet up with the payment of their staff salaries and expressed fear the situation could get worse if nothing is done urgently.

According to Lafene, some of the local councils have now resorted to bank facilities to enable them to remain afloat and ad­dressed challenges of the day to day administration of their respective councils.

The action of the govern­ment, he maintained, rep­resents a complete violation of the statutory act by the state house of assembly which es­tablished the state and local government joint account.

The affected Local Govern­ment Areas, he said have re­lied on the buoyant Councils who magnanimously ‘con­tribute’ to bail out the non-fi­nancially stable deficient lo­cal government Councils to enable them to meet teething financial obligations.

Some now resort to ob­taining Bank facilities to remain afloat, including the day to day running of the councils, Lafene said is in complete violation of the statutory acts establishing the State and Local Govern­ment Joint Account by the State House of Assembly.