By: Tochi Onyeubi
A Non Governmental Organisation, Citizens Center For Integrated Development and Social Rights, CCIDESOR, has tasked the Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha led administration to work towards local government autonomy, as it would help in the smooth running of the state.
In a roundtable meeting held recently in the state which had different civil society groups in attendance, CCIDESOR explained that accountability and transparency at the local government level is of paramount importance in ensuring development at the grassroot.
The Executive Director of CCIDESOR, Mr. Obidi Mgbemena who spoke on the state of accountability mechanism in local government administration, took participants round issues surrounding local government autonomy and why the third tier of government is not working in the country.
According to him, “a central concern is the accountability of public officials and institutions. It is where the major problem stems from, therefore improving government accountablity is evident in service delivery”.
He also listed as a problem, the unwillingness of state government to let go of local government financial autonomy irrespective of the new directive from the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, seeing as many states of the federation are yet to pass the law, at the various legislatures.
Delivering a lecture on the “Legal Framework For The Operation Of Local Government Councils In Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges”, the Director of Programs, CCIDESOR, Mr. Chidi Igwe said the creation of local governments are intended to bring governance closer to citizens especially living in remote communities.
He also xrayed critical sub topics including, Status of Local Government under the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, Features of Local Governments in Nigeria and Constitutional Challenges Affecting Local Government.
Enumerating the constitutional challenges facing local government autonomy, Igwe quoted Emmanuel Ibiam Ama to have said that, constitutional provisions for joint account, whereby funds meant for local government in a state are paid first, into a joint account from where the state transmit funds to local government, deprives it of autonomy.
Recall that the NFIU, which was excised from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, set June 1, 2019, as the take-off date of the new order, making it compulsory for all LGA allocations to go straight to their respective bank accounts.
The decision is contained in the guidelines released by the NFIU after a lengthy meeting with officials of commercial banks in Abuja.
