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Tag: Local Government Autonomy

  • June 12: I’m in total support of LGA autonomy – Governor AbdulRazaq

    June 12: I’m in total support of LGA autonomy – Governor AbdulRazaq

    Governor,  AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state has declared his total support for local government council areas full autonomy.

    Governor, AbdulRazaq made his position known in Ilorin on Tuesday  amid the ongoing legal proceedings on local government, arguing that the state does not violate any section of the law regarding autonomy.

    According to him: “It is my personal belief that each local government should manage its resources and be responsible for its obligations, including wages that are first line charges.

    “I also believe that the state governor should not be held liable if any local government is unable to pay salaries since we do not touch a kobo of their money.

    “We also do not have any joint project accounts with any local government in the state, as was the case with the previous administration in our state,” according to a statement by the Governor.

    “These are my personal beliefs. But my personal belief is not necessarily the same as the letters of the law, including the provisions of the JAAC, which is a creation of the Constitution.

    “As of today, local government allocations are sent to the JAAC as required by the law. Section 162 of the Constitution is very clear on this.

    “As things stand today, no activity of the local government in Kwara State is at variance with these provisions of the law. Our case in the court is not about my personal belief. It is, we believe, in the defence of the constitution, which created JAAC for reasons that are well-grounded in our experiences as a people.

    “JAAC, in summary, pulls resources together to pay all teachers, health workers, traditional rulers, and other statutory duties listed in the schedule of the local government areas. If we all want these to change as a national consensus, we believe that the constitution will have to be amended to expunge JAAC,” he added.

  • Kogi Assembly passes local government autonomy bill into law

    Kogi State House of Assembly has passed the Local Government Autonomy bill into law.

    This development took place at Wednesday’s plenary following its consideration to alter the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which seeks to abolish the Joint Account of the State and Local Government Areas.

    The bill also seeks to create different accounts for local governments where they are expected to receive their allocation from the federation account.

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    In their contributions, the legislators unanimously supported it because of its timely nature and ability to create a better Local Government system for the state.

    The Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Alfa Rabiu who presided over Wednesday’s sitting noted that the bill which will enhance democracy, provide financial independence at the Local Government level and create a better working condition for workers at that level.

    On his part, the member representing Olamaboro Constituency, Anthony Ujah, explained that the bill is long overdue, saying it will reduce financial pressure on the State Governments.

    The member representing Adavi State Constituency, Hon Ibrahim Usman noted that the bill will enhance development at the grassroots and ensure development for the people they represent.

    In his contribution, the member representing Lokoja I, Hon Umar Tenimu noted that Local Governments have not been able to meet their responsibilities due to the Joint Account.

    Reacting to the bill’s passage, President of Kogi State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Tade Adeyemi, applauded the State Assembly for the passage of the bill saying the passage would ensure security and development on the council areas.

    He urged other State Assemblies to ensure the passage of the bill so as to get the required two third majority at the National Assembly.

  • LG Autonomy: NULGE executives stage protest in Ogun State

    LG Autonomy: NULGE executives stage protest in Ogun State

    Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Obafemi Owode chapter, Ogun State has staged a protest demanding for the autonomy of Local Governments in the state.

    NULGE executives and a score of members of the Union gathered at Mowe bus-stop in Ogun state chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with different inscriptions stating demand of Local Government autonomy.

    The protesting NULGE executives and members headed to the resident of Hon. Damilola Soneye, who is representing Obafemi Owode Constituency at the Ogun state House of Assembly.

    Although, the protesters didn’t meet Hon Soneye at home, but that didn’t deter them from making their grievances known.

    Speaking to the representatives of Hon.Soneye, comrade Bola Faupe mentioned that their demands aren’t something difficult to do.

    ” We just want him Hon. Soneye who is unavoidably absent today to please help push the bill when it’s being introduced at the Ogun state House of Assembly. We urge him to join in this advocacy of Local Government autonomy”

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    NULGE decries ‘rape’ of local government system in Nigeria

    NULGE chairman, Obafemi Owode Local Government comrade Kabir Oluwaseyi expressed displeasure over the state of affairs of Local Government in the state. He therefore admonished the Ogun Assembly members to endorse the Local Government autonomy bill at the floor saying it will help the 3rd tier of government perform its duties .

    ”I want us to all agree that the Local Government is then closest tier of Government saddled with the responsibility of catering for people at the grassroots.

    ”Thus, the actualization of this responsibilities cannot be accomplished without granting the Local Government autonomy to implement their desired goals.

    ”We want a Local Government that can evacuate refuse, build good health facilities, rehabilitate rural roads, provide pipe borne water supply, pays staff leave bonus and perform her statutory duties as stated in the 1999 Nigeria constitution as amended” He said

    ”We also do not want OGSIEC to conduct Local Government elections anymore, INEC should be saddled with that responsibility

    ”NULGE has therefore decided to pray,mobilize, and give her full support to every House of Assembly member who vote for the passage of Local Goverment autonomy in their political careers

    ”In the same vein, NULGE members will not hesitate to as well mobilize and vote against any House of Assembly member who vote against the total passage of Local Government Autonomy in their political careers”

    When TheNewsGuru.comTNG contacted Hon.Soneye, he said that he was in support of their agitation and would do everything within his power to ensure that he alongside his colleagues try their best to endorse the bill when it’s introduced to the floor of the House.

    According to him, he’s been agitating for Local Government , Legislative and Judiciary autonomy for years and would gladly be in support of this particular demand.

    ”I’ve always been an advocate of Legislative and Judiciary autonomy, I’m fully in support of the Local Government autonomy. I will do everything with my capacity to push for it at the floor of the house and ensure that it sees the light of the day” He said

     

     

     

  • LG autonomy not for NASS to address – Gbajabiamila

    LG autonomy not for NASS to address – Gbajabiamila

    Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that the issue of local government autonomy is not for the National Assembly to address.

    Gbajabiamila said this during a two-day leadership capacity training, organised by the Minority Leader of the House, Mr Ndudi Elumelu, for ward councillors from Delta, on Monday in Abuja.

    He said that since the process of constitutional amendment was ongoing and the areas of possible amendments thrown open, it was for Nigerians to decide whether to have local government autonomy or not.

    “We did it the last time but when we went back to the states, we could not get the required two-thirds. So it is a process and we have followed the process.

    “While we were working on constitutional amendment, two-thirds of the states did not agree with us. So it is certain that it is the people that will decide whether they want autonomy for local government or not,” he said.

    The speaker, however, said that as responsible lawmakers in the Ninth Assembly, they would continue to do all that was in the overall interest of Nigerians.

    Gbajabiamila expressed confidence that at the end of the training, the councillors would have received a lot of education on leadership.

    He stated that while some people were born leaders, others acquired leadership, adding, however, that either way, there was the need to go through training to be able to garner necessary experience.

    The speaker urged participants to put the leadership qualities they might have acquired from the training to use to maximise their potentials.

    According to him, the best place to start exhibiting such potentials is the local government, as that is the bedrock of democracy and the closest to the grassroots.

    “It is important to know what it takes to have followers. As leaders, you must understand that you have followers and you have to deal with them on the issues of governance,” he said.