The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have urged the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to track council funds and prevent their diversion to state governors by council chairmen.
Also, ALGON vowed to use the opportunity of its financial autonomy to address insecurity and lack of good roads at the grassroots, while also ensuring people in rural areas enjoy more dividends of democracy.
In the last few months, calls for local government autonomy have increased in Nigeria. Those calls had been supported by President Bola Tinubu and stakeholders.
Currently, the Federal Government receives 52.68 per cent, states receive 26.72 per cent, and local governments receive 20.60 per cent of the country’s monthly revenue allocated by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, which is under the Presidency, and is disbursed by the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
In May, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, instituted a suit against the 36 state governors on behalf of the Federal Government at the Supreme Court, seeking full autonomy for local governments. The suit, which was predicated on 27 grounds, contended that Nigeria as a federation is governed by the 1999 Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Attorneys-General of the 36 states filed an objection to the suit instituted by the Federal Government.
However, the Supreme Court declared on July 11, 2024, that it was unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations. The seven-man panel, in the judgement delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.
Speaking with our correspondent on Friday, the President of NULGE, Akeem Ambali, backed the Supreme Court’s verdict and cautioned against disobedience of the judgement.
The NULGE boss called for strict adherence to NFIU guidelines, adding that it would help prevent the diversion of funds.
Ambali noted that only those who had misappropriated these funds and those opposed to democratic principles would be discontented with the verdict, adding that Nigerians are happy with the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court.
He said, “The whole country is happy with the judgement of the Supreme Court. It is only looters of local government funds and unpatriotic people that will not be happy.
“What we have seen yesterday is constitutional democracy at play. Funds were appropriated and allocated to local governments. Why must it be hijacked along the line? That is why we have a high rate of poverty, frustration, insecurity, and joblessness across the country.
“We (NULGE) believe that once local government is free, council chairmen will be able to touch the lives of average workers and the masses, and change things for good. That’s our impression about it.”
