The immediate past Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State, Prince Ayodeji Abass Alesinloye, has applauded the judgement of the Supreme Court on financial autonomy for local government administration in th country.
He stated that the autonomy for the 774 local governments in Nigeria will enhance people’s popular participation in democracy and development of grassroots economy.
Alesinloye thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taken the bold step and his dedication to make local government people-focused.
“I applaud the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court that gives financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. It is a long expected and needed tonic to the suffocating and dying third tier of government that is the closest to the people. The judgement will enhance people’s popular participation in democracy and development of grassroots economy.
“As a former two terms Local Government Chairman of Oluyole local government and Immediate Past Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Oyo State, who recently led other local councils chairmen to a remarkable Supreme Court judgement against illegal dissolution of local government chairmen and councilors by governor (Oyo State), I make bold to say, that the current Supreme Court is a further reinforcement of earlier judgements and it’s going to make local government to be more effective, responsive, responsible and more service oriented in service delivery of its basic functions and make life easier and better for our 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.
“With this new victory of financial independence, I call on all serving local government chairmen, executive, councilors, supervisory councilors, career officers, to see this opportunity to double their efforts, be more dedicated to serve our people better in giving them their well deserved dividends of democracy to all nooks and crany. People look unto local government first as their ray of hope before any other tiers of government.
“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.
“Our people at the grassroots should now be more sensitive and conscious in demanding good governance, projects, programmes and revenue, expenditure monitoring.
“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!
“The media is hereby appealed to, dedicate more time and focus on the expected change for good at the local government level. This is a golden opportunity to make our local council more effective and efficient. I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this dedication to make local government people-focused.”
