Calls For Full Local Government Autonomy Dominates National Dialogue On LG & Constitution Amendment
…As Tajudeen, Kalu Push For LG Reforms
By Raphael Ekpang
The call for full local government autonomy has dominated a one day national dialogue on local governments and constitutional amendment organised by the house of representatives in collaboration with Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), with support from the UK Foreign, commonwealth and development office (FCDO).
Discussants at the event, as well as panelists both agreed that they was need for the Nigerian third tier of government which is closer to the people to be so autonomy in all ramifications so that democracy can take it proper shape in the country.
The former governors of Kebi state, Senator Adamu Aleiro, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state and , Senator Adams Oshomole of Edo State, both expressed worried in the current state of local government administrations in Nigeria whereby the state governors are controlling the resources of both the state and local governments with reckless abandoned.
Both of them explained that during their eight years tenure in office respectively, local government administrations enjoyed a high level of autonomy on like now that the chairmen of local government areas are handpicked by the governors despite the Supreme Court landslide judgement which gave local governments autonomy.
Senator Kalu noted that during his days as governor, the LGA’s chairmen were responsible for the development of their areas with little or no supervision from the state government.
According to him, “The fact that LG Autonomy was in full force during our time as governors, you can see that supervising councilors were handling contracts directly from the council administrations.”
However, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas in his address acknowledged the many obstacles hindering local governments’ effectiveness. These challenges he said include; inadequate funding, lack of autonomy, insufficient capacity, and interference from state governments, which have plagued local governance for decades.
Tajudeen who was represented bybthe his deputy Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu stressed that these issues not only stifle local governance but also undermine national development, making reforms to the local government system more urgent than ever.
He said, A major issue raised by the Deputy Speaker was the inadequate funding of local governments. He pointed out that many local governments in Nigeria operate with insufficient budgets, limiting their ability to provide crucial services like healthcare, education, infrastructure, and sanitation.”
Tajudeen called for greater financial autonomy for local governments, urging constitutional amendments that would ensure they receive adequate funding directly from federal allocations, without excessive control from state governments.
Earlier in his opening remarks the chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker stressed that to fully realize the intent and impact of this historic decision, the systemic issues affecting local government administration must be addressed.
Represented by the majority leader of the house, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Kalu outlined the need to reimagine local governments as independent, effective partners in the country’s broader governance structure, with greater financial and administrative autonomy.
He argued that these reforms are not mere technical necessities but fundamental to building a governance system that is equitable, inclusive, and accountable.
Despite the challenges, the Deputy Speaker expressed optimism about the potential for meaningful change.
He urged all participants in the dialogue to approach the discussions with a shared sense of purpose and a commitment to upholding the ideals of democracy, accountability, and service delivery. While stressing that the outcomes of the dialogue should be rooted in a vision for a Nigeria where local governments are empowered to better serve their constituencies.
Meanwhile, while delivering his keynote address, Prof. Tony Onyishi, HOD, Public Administration and Government, University of Nigeria Nsuka, (UNN), Enugu State, on the theme: “Setting the Context for Local Government Reform”, said local governments in Nigeria are intended to be the cornerstone of grassroots to governance, bridging the gap between government and citizens.
But lamented on the current system’s limitations: party driven local elections, limitated community representation, political maneuvering over governance, independent candidacy, merits based selection, reduced political interference and international
He said, “We have 774 local governments in Nigeria, if they are fully developed, Nigeria will be developed
