By Emma Madu
Precisely on Thursday, July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgement affirming the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local government councils.The judgement was expected as it was lauded by the masses.It is indeed a good judgement aimed at promoting rapid development in the local councils in Nigeria as well as conferring legitimacy on the council areas in terms of direct reception of federal allocation funds and management.
Local Government as the third tier of government does not operate in isolation.They are created with the ultimate goal of bringing governments closer to the people at the grassroots.They generally act within the powers and functions assigned to them by law and or directives of a higher level of government.That is why Section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as Amended, gives the State governments via Houses of Assembly the power to enact laws on Administration and Finances of the local governments.
It is on good record that Governor Chukwuma Soludo was the first Governor in Nigeria who lauded the Supreme Court’s Verdict on Local Government Autonomy when he addressed the State House Correspondents, after a closed door talk with President Bola Tinubu, alongside the Chairman of Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abudulrasaq of Kwara State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In his words of commendation to the Supreme Court, Governor Soludo said, *”The judgement is great.The Supreme Court is the final authority and I am a Democrat.I believe in the rule of law.We need to promote accountability and transparency.I promised Ndi Anambra a credible local government election, and that I must achieve”.*
Corroborating Governor Soludo’s honest intention to conduct a credible local government election, the State House of Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt.Hon.Somtochukwu Udeze, demonstrated genuine commitment through the enactment and amendment of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission’s Law for the conduct of the local government election, which was peacefully held on the 28th September, 2024.The lawmakers, indeed exhibited a high sense of Legislative expertise in the way they handled the ANSIEC Amendment Law which guaranteed the success of the local government election.
The recent Anambra State Local Government Administration Law enacted by the State House of Assembly has further strengthened the Joint Development Responsibility of the State and Local Government Councils in the State.The Anambra State Local Government Administration Law is explicitly unconnected with the tampering of the local government funds as being peddled in different quarters, but rather a legal framework aimed at enhancing the Administration, Funding and Development of the Council Areas as well as the well-being of the rural dwellers.It has nothing to do with payment of local government allocation funds into the account of the State government as was highly speculated by the uninformed public before the passage of the Bill.
The Speaker, Rt.Hon.Somtochukwu Udeze, while expounding the contents and gains of the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law, revealed that the Law seeks to clearly define the powers of both Chairmen and Councilors at the local government level as they relate to the State and Local Government Areas for effective administration.He further explained that key sectors such as Primary Healthcare, Primary School Teachers, Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, Local Government Service Commission as well as Pensions Board among others are critical areas where the Local and State governments interface to ensure proper administration at the local level.
It is for the above stated unambiguous merits of the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law that 26 out of 30 State Lawmakers, representing different Political Parties, participated in the enactment of the Law.
*EMMA MADU*
SSA/Chief Press Secretary To The Speaker,
ANHA.
*10th October,2024.*