Local Government Autonomy: Group Hails Supreme Court Judgement, Demands Further Reforms

Paschal Emeka, Abuja | Posted July 16, 2024

A group popularly known as Advocacy for Better Leadership and Sustainable Rural Development Initiative (ABLE) has hailed the July 11, 2024 Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.

They also called for further reforms to strengthen local government administration in the country.

The Group’s Director General, Comrade Destiny Madu in a statement expressed satisfaction on the Apex Court’s ruling and described it as a landmark and historic judgment.

“I commend the Presidency, the Judiciary and the National Assembly, for standing for the downtrodden local populace.

“I must also suggest that there is need for a homogeneous conduct of local governments’ elections, that would be conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).

“A situation where a governor wakes up and order the conduct of local government elections may not augur well for our democracy.

“Over the years, we noticed that States Independent Electoral Commissions are not independent. So, there must be a way to ensure credibility of local government elections and minimize the overarching influence of governors on these elections.

He lamented that the governors over the years stifled development and Increased poverty rate at the grassroots, by withholding local government funds, arbitrary dissolution of duly elected local government authorities and appointment of their cronies as Caretaker Committee Chairmen.

He described the ruling as landmark and groundbreaking one which now offered a veritable legal backing for anyone who wants to challenge those bent on siphoning local government funds.

He observed that over the years, the states/local government joint account has been abused by some governors.

“The governors don’t do anything with the money, the money disappears and they say they are paying workers, for which work?

“Most primary schools in the rural areas are dilapidated and in a state of disrepair. Public Infrastructures at the rural areas have been neglected.

“Some governors appoint their stooges as caretaker chairmen for local governments, give them stipends and divert the large chunks of the money allocated for local government administration to questionable quarters.

He called on the federal government and the National Assembly to invoke the doctrine of necessity and introduce further reforms that would strengthen local government administration in the country.

Furthermore, he urged the governors to see local governments as partners in progress for the overall development of the people, especially in providing potable water for people and curbing the spread of infectious diseases like Cholera, renovaring dilapidated primary school classrooms, ensuring functional healthcare centres in their domains, and provide other basic amenities for the comfort of people.

Finally, he advised stakeholders to ensure full unbiased implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court so as to revive the local government administration in the country.

“We want to see local governments that can meet the needs of the people at the grassroots. Everyone concerned should please allow local governments to function optimally for the benefits of all, “ he concluded.