The chairman of the Ajoni Local Government Development Council Area of Ekiti State, Michael Ogungbemi, has called on the National Assembly to make a law to give legal backing to full autonomy for local governments.

Ogungbemi said that full recognition of the third tier of government in Nigeria would enhance development and guarantee better governance at the grassroots for the people.

The council boss, who spoke in a chat with journalists at Ayedun Ekiti, the LCDA headquarters, on Wednesday, said, “We need the National Assembly to look at the constitutional provisions and give roles to local governments in Nigeria to be officially recognised by the Nigerian Constitution again, for the council to develop as it did in the past.”

He added, “Autonomy for local governments is very important and sacrosanct. Our councils need to be on their own so that the essence of their creation can be met and so that the people in rural areas can enjoy a better life and good governance.

“If the constitutional amendment is not done to give recognition to the council, the council will still not have a role to play in national government. If local councils want to have full autonomy, it should be done through constitutional means by the National Assembly.

“The local council is the third tier of government, but most times it is not recognised. In the Nigerian constitution, it is a constitutional problem, we have recognised the Federal Government and the states, but councils are not given the same recognition.”