The Senate has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend statutory allocation to local government areas (LGAs) headed by caretaker committees to champion the cause of full autonomy for local governments in Nigeria urgently.
This is as the red chamber lampooned state governors for misappropriating funds intended for local government councils, effectively rendering the local government system non-functional.
Senator Suleiman Kawu, representing NNPP from Kano South, introduced the motion leading to these resolutions. He emphasized that local governments, designed to be the closest administrative tier to the people, are intended to address local needs directly and foster community development.
However, he noted that the promise of an empowered local government system remains unfulfilled due to financial constraints and limited decision-making authority.
The Senate pointed to the history of local government reforms initiated in 1976, which aimed to decentralize power and empower local communities. These reforms envisioned local governments as self-governing entities responsible for primary education, healthcare, sanitation, local infrastructure, and community security.
Reflecting on past leadership, the Senate acknowledged President Tinubu’s efforts to promote local government autonomy during his tenure as governor of Lagos State, where he established 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and introduced reforms to strengthen them. Similarly, the Senate praised Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, for his initiatives to enhance local service delivery in Akwa Ibom State during his governorship.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing APC from Abia North and a former governor of Abia State, highlighted the previous authority of councillors to approve small contracts and lamented the current ineffective state of local governments. He called for the full restoration of local government funds to their intended councils and the improvement of their management capabilities.
Senator Ahmad Lawan, representing APC from Yobe North, underscored the need for constitutionally guaranteed effective local governments and advocated for enhancing the skills of local government administrators to achieve this. Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing APC-Anambra South, stressed the importance of amending Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution to ensure good governance, noting that Anambra State has not conducted local government elections in 18 years.
During the plenary session, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau criticized the misuse of local government funds by governors, who often force local government chairmen to sign off cheques while providing them with minimal operational funds. He acknowledged that some governors act differently and commended them for their proper conduct.
The Senate’s call to action aims to revitalize the local government system in Nigeria, ensuring it functions as an effective and autonomous administrative tier
