LG Autonomy: Supreme Court Judgement, Long Expected Tonic to Dying Third Tier of Government – Abass-Aleshinloye
A two term Local Government Chairman of Oluyole local government and Immediate Past Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Oyo State, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, has described the supreme court judgement on financial autonomy for the 774 local government in Niger as a long expected and needed tonic to the suffocating and dying third tier of government that is the closest to the people.
Abass-Aleshinloye , noted that the judgement will enhance people’s popular participation in democracy and development of grassroots economy.
In a statement personally signed by him and made available by his media office, he expressed optimism that the judgement would energise the local government to be more effective, responsive, responsible and more service oriented in service delivery of its basic functions to make life easier and better for the people.
“No democracy in the world can survive without properly organized, democratic and financially viable and independent local council to fulfill the expectations of our poor, productive, struggling masses of our people who are main producers of our commonwealth.”
This judgment should not be seen as antagonistic to the state government or governors, but a necessary complementary effort to any sincere governor who is genuinely interested in grassroots and overall development of the states through popular participation where all hands must be on deck to perform at the utmost level.”
The EX-ALGON Boss, called on all serving local government chairmen, executive, councilors, supervisory councilors, career officers, to see the victory as an opportunity to double their efforts and be more dedicated to better service to deliver well deserved dividends of democracy to all nooks and crany.
May I advise my brothers and sisters who are now chairpersons of local government that this Supreme Court judgement of financial autonomy should be judiciously use to develop our grassroots to the best of their ability because there shouldn’t be any excuse of governors hijacking local government allocations or suffocating the council. It’s not an avenue to loot funds and become a threat to good governance. Please be reminded that EFCC, NFIU and ICPC are still very much alive to their responsibilities.
The implication here is ; if a local government chairman for example gets 300M and decides to hand over 200M to his governor, he will be called by EFCC and he should remember he has no immunity like his governor!”
Abass-Aleshinloye, enjoined people at the grassroots to be more sensitive and conscious in demanding good governance, as well as monitor projects, programmes and revenue, expenditure.
