LGAs to Fed Govt: 'On Autonomy We Stand '

Pix 1:NIPPs office in Kuru, Plateau state 2: local governments unbrealla body 

By Akinola Nigeria

Nigeria's  776 local government councils require  autonomy in order  to operate efficiently as  members of the third-tier adminstrative cadre.

The Federal and State Governments respectively,are in the first and second tiers levels, as spelt out in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The above was one of the recommendations arrived at by participants at the two-day conference organised for Local Governments and Public Administrators in Kuru,  Jos, Plateau state,  recently. 

The event was organised between October 27- 28, this year and  attended by seventy five participants mainly CILGPAN's members from three Northern states of Borno, Niger and Plateau.

The programme, which was at the instance of 

the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (CILGPAN) and National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies( NIPPS), saw participants elaborately holding discussion on the  modalities of operating local government administrative system in the country.

It had the theme: Local Governance in Nigeria: Changing the Narratives.  Issues  discussed  during the forum include Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria:  Myth and Realities; Resource Utilisation in the Nigeria Local Government System: Changing the Narrative Towards a New Agenda for State/Local Government Relation in Nigeria:Problems and Prospects.

Of note are issues bordering on the functionality of the local governments system, but were not limited to calls for a national referendum  on creation of local government councils in the country, withholding of  assents  by the President, on the current proposed monthly allocation formula accrue to the local government; formation of synergy between the  Civil Society Organisations(CSO) and  communities, with a view to demand for accountability from relevant authorities involved in local governance processes and the need to  institutionalise inclusive and participatory citizens engagement in local governance through promulgation of legal frame works for local administration.

Others are the urge to strengthening the resource mobilisation capabilities of  local government by supporting the take-off of competitive production industry in the local government areas through the use of available resource mapping data and  professionalising  local  government council administration in the country. 

Nevertheless, all the issues are dealt with decisively, as  participants were all smiles, as well as full hopes that a new dawn has beckoned to administration of the local government system in Nigeria.

Participants including Group Captain Raphael Adebola Garba, Alhaji Jalo Ibrahim and Mrs LadidiK Bako-Aiyegbusi, who spoke at the event, said the local government system is key to the effective governance of a country, adding that their contributions to the running of a state cannot be denied. 

Incidentally, the trio endorsed the communique issued at the end of the conference, which brought together relevant stakeholders across the country.

In attendance were Seventy-

Five participants made up of CILGPAN members, Local Government Officials from three Northern States (Borno,Niger and Plateaustates), Participants of Senior Executive Course 44,2022 and Management of NIPSS,Kuru,Jos.

The two days Conference was aimed at improving the knowledge of Participants on the

on-going reforms in the Local Government System in Nigeria focusing on self sufficiency, sustained development, accountability,and citizens participation in local governance. Participants were updated on the constitutional roles ascribed to local government systemvis-a-vis local government administration, dimensions of state-

local government relations focusing on fiscal,legal,political and administrative relations.In

the area of resource mobilisation and utilisation, Participants were enlightened on statutory allocation from the Federation Account, State generated revenue and available opportunities

That could be harnessed to increase internally generated revenue at the local government level.

In addition, Participants were exposed to the concepts and models of local government and local governance, decentralisation and devolution of powers, and kleptocratic capture of local government in Nigeria. After intense deliberation, consensus was reached on the following observations and recommendations:

OBSERVATIONS:

The Participants observed that:

1.The1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) as amended, projected the local Government as asubordinate structure of the State.This has made the local

government a mere appendage to respective state governments with undue interference in local government administrative processes.

2. Non adherence to the statutory provision of 10% of State generated revenue to the local

government councils

3.The current 20.6% of Federation Allocation to local governments is grossly inadequate to meet the expected responsibilities of the local government council.

4.Local government councils are economically marginalised and oppressed interms of taxing power and statutory allocation from the Federations’account. This is occasioned by high level of impunity in the administration of the State Joint Local Government Account.

5.Poor political will and ineffective leadership in local government administration has resulted in poor implementation of policies,mismanagementof resources, failure to exercise responsibilities and apply sanctions.

6.Inadequate community contribution to governance due to poor citizens participation

and non-engagement of relevant stake holders such as civil society organisations.This has hindered the progress of local governance at the community level.

7.Non effective institutionalised structures and feed back system that monitors and evaluate local governance at community level.This has led to poor quality of essential services delivered at grass root level.

8.Poor condition of service has led to inability to retain skilled and committed human resources at local government which has led to low quality service delivery at the grass root level.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Participants made the following recommendations:

1.There is a need for national referendum towards reform in the legal frame work on creation of local government councils in Nigeria.

2.Local government should be granted administrative, fiscal and political autonomy through the amendment of fourth schedule of the 1999 CFRN (asamended).