A team has been established within the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) to oversee the direct distribution of funds to all 774 local governments across the country. This initiative marks the beginning of financial autonomy for the third tier of government, which is set to take effect this month.

The initial meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for this year is scheduled for Wednesday, where key operational details regarding the direct fund distributions to local governments are expected to be a major focus.

“Most of the 774 local government areas (LGAs) will begin receiving their allocations starting in January 2025.

“Our committee will reconvene later this month to review our progress and finalize measures before the Accountant-General of the Federation issues authorization for the complete rollout.

“There will be no challenge in carrying out the approval from the Minister to initiate disbursements to the LGAs. It’s not going to be a challenge, as it’s something they (ministry officials) do daily for the states.

“A dedicated department is in charge of this process, so we are well-prepared. I can confirm that,” a source told The Nation.

Additionally, it has been reported that the Inter-Ministerial Committee will address the actions of certain governors who are attempting to undermine the independence of democratically elected local government chairpersons, their deputies, and councillors.