LG financial autonomy: Activist, council officials, others urge effective implementation of judgment
CHIGOZIE AMADI
A Local Government Chairman in Imo as well as an Abia-based rights activist and civil servant have advocated effective monitoring of the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government Financial Autonomy.
They spoke separately with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on how best the judgment could impact positively on Local Government (LG) administration.
Assessing the implementation of the apex court’s judgment, an Umuahia-based rights activist, Mr Agbai Anyim, called on relevant agencies to initiate effective strategies for monitoring the implementation of the judgment across the various states of the federation.
According to Anyim, there is an urgent need to put an effective machinery in place to ensure that LG funds and other benefits are not intercepted by the State Governments but disbursed promptly and directly to them.
“I really support the idea of giving financial autonomy to LGs in practice not in theory.
“In the past, governors reportedly interfered with the LG finances through what was known as the Joint Account Allocation Committee.
“The LG allocations being disbursed directly to their respective accounts, in line with the judgment is a welcome development,” Anyim said.
He said that some council areas in Abia had not recorded significant development over the years and hoped that their financial autonomy would change the ugly narrative.
He charged the council chairmen to utilise LG funds to develop the grassroots to effectively check rural-urban migration and promote even development.
Anyim opined that development creates an enabling environment for people to engage in productive ventures with a reduction in crime.
“Development at the grassroots gives a sense of belonging to communities, making them to enjoy the dividend of democracy from the Federal Government.
He said that the judgment would help to check the alleged hijack and misappropriation of council funds by state governors.
A civil servant, Mr Ulonna Ngozi, said the Supreme Court landmark verdict on LG financial autonomy was a fulfillment of the yearnings of the people at the grassroots.
Ngozi called on anti-graft agencies to actively monitor the expenditure of the LG funds to ensure that they are deployed judiciously to develop their areas.
“Let the governors leave LGs to use their allocations to execute projects for the masses at the grassroots and also pay workers’ salaries.
“The utilisation of the council funds should be monitored by the anti-graft agencies rather than the governors,” he said.
Ngozi also called on the media, as the watchdog of the society, to closely track the projects executed by the councils and hold the chairmen accountable.
He urged the electorate to take advantage of the upcoming November 2 council polls to elect credible people that would turn around their fortunes.
In Imo, respondents expressed optimism that the LG financial autonomy would usher in an era of growth and development at the grassroots.
The Chairman, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Mr Emmanuel Echereodo, said the implementation of the financial autonomy has raised the hope for rapid development in the 27 LGAs of the state.
“This will now give the elected council chairmen the freedom to manage their affairs, make decisions, and allocate resources without undue interference from the State Government,” Echereodo said.
He disclosed that already Ngor-Okpala LG councillors have scheduled their inaugural sitting on Tuesday, October 29, being the first in 15 years.
“The LG financial autonomy has come to stay.
“We believe that Gov. Hope Uzodimma will give the chairmen the freehand to operate without interfering in the affairs or funds allocated to the councils,” he said.
He urged the council chairmen to focus more on building rural roads, rehabilitating and equipping schools, employing more qualified teachers, as well as equipping and rehabilitating all the health centers in their areas.
The Chairman, Mbaitolu LGA, Mr Ifunanya Nwanegwo, said the council’s federal allocation would be deployed into agriculture and road infrastructure.
“We are barely a month in office, but we have already mapped out plans to distribute cassava stems and maize seedlings even without receiving any fund.
“The health sector will be improved to ensure that those at the community level would gain access to primary health care,” he said.
The leader of Ehime Mbano Legislative Council, Mr Ifeanyi Onyekachi, expressed similar sentiments, saying that local government autonomy would reactivate the local government system and make them functional and efficient to tackle development at the grassroots.
“We have always advocated for autonomy because we understand the peculiar needs of our communities.
“With LG autonomy, we can now prioritise projects and programmes that directly benefit our people rather than wait for directives from the state capital,” Onyekachi, a journalist, said.
A community leader from Owerri West LGA, Chief Emma Opara, said “we are thrilled that LG autonomy has finally seen the light of the day.
“This means that our people will now have a greater say in how their affairs are run.
“We expect to see significant improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and other essential services,” Opara said.
The business community in the state is also enthusiastic about the prospects of LG autonomy.
“This development will stimulate economic growth and attract investments to our local communities,” said Mr. Ikenna Njoku, an Owerri-based businessman.
Njoku further said that with the autonomy, LGs can now create the enabling environment for entrepreneurship and job creation.
The Executive Coordinator, Sisters with A Goal (SWAG) Initiative, a civil society organisation, Mrs Majurie Ezihe, however, expressed doubts regarding governors’ readiness to comply with the Supreme Court judgment.
“There is a law and this law has made it clear that autonomy is the right of the third tier.
“I do not agree with you totally that the local government elected chairmen will enjoy autonomy judging from the antecedents of politicians at the state level,” Ezihe said.
She challenged civil society organisations and the media to raise awareness concerning the implementation of the LG financial autonomy in the country.
Ezihe faulted the electoral process that ushered in the new council chairmen in the state, saying that civil society groups and the media must work to ensure transparency and accountability among the council leaderships.
“When we know that they lack the capacity to be in that office, we mark them and get everybody to make them accountable.
“Whatever project they execute, we shall ask necessary questions.
“If they fail to abide by the dictates of the law in executing such projects, we will bring them to justice by dragging them to court.
“We should be taking notes. We should be taking data and calling them out, especially when we see them spend flambouyantly or display wealth,” she said.
