Federal government has inaugurated a 10-man inter-ministerial committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Thursday, July 11, declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations, adding that the 774 council areas in the country should manage their funds independent of states.
The court reinforced the judgement, which was read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, with the fact that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.
The committee, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, comprises top government officials, including the Minister of Finance, Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Budget & Economic Planning, Accountant General of the Federation, and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
Other members include the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation & Fiscal Commission, and representatives of state governors and local governments.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Segun Imohiosen, the committee’s primary objective is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments.
The statement further noted that the step to put an enforcement committee together to realise the implementation of the Supreme Court decision aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to implement the Constitution’s provisions recognizing local governments as the third tier of government.
“The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CON, has inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgement delivered on 11th July, 2024 granting financial autonomy to Local Governments in Nigeria.
“The members of the committee are as follows: Secretary to the Government of the Federation – Chairman; Hon. Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy -Member; Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice – Member; Hon. Minister of Budget & Economic Planning; Accountant General of the Federation.
“Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria; Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Finance); Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation & Fiscal Commission; Representative of State Governors; and Representative of Local Governments.
“The committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments.
“This move is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR efforts to give appropriate implementation to the provisions of the Constitution, which recognizes local governments as the third tier of government”, the statement said.
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