Legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has directed a call to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to ensure the direct allocation of funds from the federation account to local government areas.
Babalola made this appeal during the opening of the eighth edition of the Afe Babalola Agricultural Expo (ABAEX), an annual event where farmers are empowered by the founder of ABUAD.
Babalola highlighted the critical role of this direct allocation in reviving agriculture and boosting the economy.
He expressed concern that local councils, over the years, have been rendered ineffective in bringing development to the people due to alleged activities of governors who have reportedly hijacked their allocations.
Advocating for empowering local government areas, Babalola suggested that each council should establish farming equipment for farmers to hire and allocate extensive land for farming.
Drawing on his experience as a former councillor, he recalled the days when local government funds used to come directly to them, emphasizing the need to curb mismanagement and ensure funds are utilized effectively.
Babalola stressed the significance of modernizing agriculture to encourage people to farm efficiently. He urged President Tinubu to take steps to ensure that local government allocations reach them directly, bypassing governors who, according to him, have been misappropriating these funds.
This, he believes, would enable administrators to contribute significantly to the socioeconomic development of communities, especially in supporting farmers.
