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House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara

Local governments across the nation may now have a glimmer of hope regarding their financial autonomy as the House of Representatives has renewed efforts at ensuring that they have separate accounts from their respective state governments.

A bill sponsored by Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha (PDP-Abia) which spells out the details of the proposed  autonomy for the LGAs moved past the second reading in the House on Wednesday. The bill which will create a “Local Government Council Allocation Account”, where all financial allocations for every council shall be disbursed will effectively alter section 162 of the 1999 constitution.

Onyejeocha who argued that the purpose of the bill was to counter the exploitation and starvation of the local councils by their state governments also said that the proposed amendment would allow for autonomy, transparency and accountability by the LGs. She said: “The practice of true federalism is lacking in Nigeria, especially at the local government level. Some state governments deprive their local governments of principal source of their revenues.

“Unless more stable internal source of revenue are exploited, and state/local government joint accounts abolished, the objective of strengthening local governments’ relationship with state and federal governments will remain a mirage.

The amendment also stipulates that disbursement shall not be made from the account except by a bye-law passed by the Local Government Legislative Council.

House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara who presided over the plenary has referred the bill to the Special Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action.