By Citizenship Daily
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Monday backed the administrative and financial autonomy of local government councils in the country.
Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, said this at the National Dialogue on Local Government and Constitution Amendment Constitution Amendment organised by the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
He said today the majority of the states have duly elected local government councils in place, reflecting a strengthening commitment to democracy at a grassroots level.
Represented by the Director, Legal Services of the Forum, Chijioke Chukwu, he said the NGF recognizes the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy as a landmark development with profound implications for governance.
He said autonomy presents an opportunity to deepen service, to deepen service delivery across critical sectors, particularly health, care, education, and other social services.
He said by empowering local governments to manage resources effectively, we can collectively ensure that development to choose every Nigerian, no matter how remote their community may be.
“The Governor’s Forum remains resolute in its commitment to the effective implementation of local government autonomy. The Governors are keen to collaborate with stakeholders, including development partners, civil society, and other arms of government to translate this autonomy into tangible improvements in the lives of our people.
“It is our belief that a well-structured autonomy with mutually aligned implementation framework would not only drive accountability and efficiency in resource management, but would also catalyze sustainable development goals at the sub-national level. Together, we can transform the local government system into a vibrant vehicle for economic growth, social development, and national integration.
“The Nigerian Governors Forum also gave its readiness to ensure that this transition to local government autonomy is impactful. Let us continue to work together in building a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria,” he said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas described the conduct of local government elections in the country as disgraceful, saying it must be addressed.
He said, “Importantly, we must confront the disgraceful poor conduct of elections into the councils. We must find a way of instilling transparency, fairness and openness in the conduct of elections into local governments.doing this would require the understanding and collaborative efforts of the State governors and Houses of Assembly.
“We must find a way of convincing them that a strengthened local government system would relieve the States of unnecessary burdens and lead to grassroots development,” he said.
Abbas, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, said the national dialogue was one in a series of consultations to harness citizens’ views and preferences towards efforts at having a truly peoples’ constitution in the country.
He said it serves as a vital opportunity for substantive discussions that will inform the Constitution Review Committee in making appropriate recommendations for amending the necessary provisions of the Constitution.
Abbas said this is essential to ensure compliance with the existing ruling of the Supreme Court regarding the status of local government councils.
He said it focuses on a critical aspect of our governance structure: the local government system.
Abbas said local governments, the closest tier of government to the people, play an essential role in delivering services, fostering community development, and ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard at all levels of governance.
He said however, for local governments to fulfil these roles effectively, they must operate with a degree of autonomy that allows them to respond promptly and appropriately to the unique needs of their communities.
The Speaker noted that sadly there are significant challenges that hinder their effectiveness.
Such challenges, he said include inadequate funding, lack of autonomy, insufficient capacity, usurpation of its functions by other levels of government, corruption.
These and many more, he said, have plagued local governments for decades.
He said they not only stifle local governance but also impede national development.
He said the need for reform has never been more urgent.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, said the dialogue was not only to discuss a critical aspect of governance but also to reaffirm the collective commitment to advancing democratic principles and sustainable development at the grassroots level.
Kalu, who is the Chairman of the Committee on the Review of the Constitution, also reiterated that as the closest tier of government to our citizens, local governments are pivotal in ensuring the delivery of essential services,ensuring inclusion, and enhancing democratic participation.
Represented by the House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, he regretted that the current state of local government councils and areas in Nigeria leaves much to be desired.
He said issues of limited autonomy, constrained financial independence, and weakened administrative capacity have continued to hinder their effectiveness.
Kalu said, “The recent Supreme Court judgment reaffirming that local government councils and areas must be democratically elected and that their statutory allocations be paid directly to them marks a watershed moment in our nation’s governance journey.
“This ruling underscores the importance of ensuring that governance at all levels adheres to democratic principles and serves the people’s best interests. Yet, to fully realize the intent and impact of this landmark decision, we must confront the systemic issues that have long plagued local government administration.”
Executive Director of PLAC, Mr Clement Nwankwo, said the national dialogue on local government reforms is very key to improving the quality of our democracy.
“Local governments are so very key to any country’s democracy because it’s government at the grassroots. Unfortunately, the local governments in Nigeria continue to suffer from the lack of development of its institutions and its ability to deliver on its expectations of development.
“The House of Representatives Committee on the Constitutional Review taking on this issue as a major issue and as one of its flagship considerations as it proceeds and embarks on the Constitutional Review is so very important,” he said.
He hoped the conversation will translate into passage of landmark amendments l to the constitution that will impact on improving the quality of democracy.
Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and State Legislatures, Adebo Ogundoyin, said the issue of the independence and autonomy of local governments is at the heart of grassroots governance and development in Nigeria.
Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly was represented by the Speaker of the Jigawa House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu.
“Local governments will be pivotal to delivering essential services.fostering community participation and ensuring inclusive development. However, achieving this require robust financial and administrative independence, as well as transparent, credible, and legitimate elections.
“The state legislatures play an indispensable role in the realization of these goals as constitutionally empowered bodies.We are the gatekeepers of democracy and the sub-national levels. It is our duty to enact laws that empower local governments, ensure accountability, and provide oversight that guarantees the proper utilization of resources for the benefit of our citizens,” he said.
Director of Development, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Cynthia Rowe, said local governments brings governance closer to the people and has real impact on the lives of the people.
She stressed the need for a proper local government system for the benefit of citizens.
