Lagos State House of Assembly have approved comprehensive regulations and guidelines to strengthen administrative procedures and governance structures across all Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State.
Theliberationnews reports that the lawmakers gave the approval during plenary on Monday, after analyzing a report on the Regulations and Guidelines, presented by Hon. Sanni Ganiyu Babatunde Okanlawon (Kosofe I) on its second allotted date.
According to Section 5 of the approved guidelines, the Executive Committee of each Local Government shall comprise the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Supervisors, Special Advisers, Secretary to the Local Government, Council Manager, Council Treasurer, and the Head of Legal Unit.
Section 6 stipulates that any appointment, not recognized by the guidelines, local government bye-laws, or other relevant laws shall require the express approval of the Governor of Lagos State.
Further clarifying the administrative hierarchy, Section 8 focuses on the Vice Chairman’s role while Subsection 8.1(a) outlines the functions and performance expectations of the Office, while 8.1(b) designates the Vice Chairman as Chairman of the Tenders Board.
In Section 15, the guidelines provide for the establishment of Departmental Standing Committees in each of the departments. These committees are mandated to meet at least twice a month or as exigencies demand to recommend departmental projects for the Executive Committee’s consideration and approval. Each committee shall consist of the Supervisor as Chairman, the Head of Department, Sectional Head, and a Representative of the Council Manager.
During deliberations, Hon. Aro Moshood (Ikorodu 2) described the guidelines as “top-notch,” saying that they are capable of positioning Lagos State as a model for effective local governance in Nigeria. He, however, pointed out that discrepancies in numbering between the main law and the regulation, calling for clarification.
Hon. Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 1) raised concerns about the omission of the Chief of Staff’s role despite its earlier mention in prior discussions, urging the responsible committee to review the matter.
Also, Hon. Bonu Solomon (Badagry 1) lauded the inclusion of community policing provisions, describing it as a progressive initiative that would enhance security and create employment opportunities across the State.
