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Quite Unfortunate Anambra APGA Govt Has Refused to conduct LG Elections - Ifeanyi Ubah

 


* As Senate calls On Presidency To Champion Full Autonomy of Local Governments 


The Nigerian Senate, Wednesday May 15, called on the president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, halt the activities of state governors who engage in pilfering the funds designed for local governments.

The resolution of the senate was sequel to a motion titled, "Call on the president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to resuscitate the local government system in Nigeria".
The motion was sponsored by Senator Suleiman Kawu, NNPP, Kano South.


Senator Kawu said inter alia that “the Senate notes that in the tapestry of Nigeria’s governance system, local governments are meant to be threads weaving development close to the grassroots. Envisioned as the closest tier of administration to the people, they hold the potential to address local needs directly and shape communities from the inside out. But the story of Nigeria’s local government system is one of promise and paradox, woven with threads of hope and frustration.

According to the senator, the dream of achieving the objectives of the local government system has encountered harsh realities as successive governments have often eroded local govt autonomy, limiting their financial resources and control over decision-making, adding that corruption scandals and mismanagement have often tarnished the image of some local governments thereby fuelling public cynicism.

The senate therefore urged the federal government to stop further allocation of funds to caretaker committee-led Local Government areas asking President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency champion the cause of full autonomy for local governments in the nation. 

The upper chamber said that the local government caretaker chairmen were usually compelled to sign off cheques by state governors, who in turn allocate peanuts to them .

In his submission, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah.CON, lamented the non conduct of local government elections in Anambra State and bemoaned the resultant negative effect of this in grassroots development.

According to Senator Ubah, without sufficient resources, Local Governments are unable to invest in crucial developmental activities, security architecture,improved infrastructure, and community engagement initiatives. This significantly hinders their ability to effectively handle critical aspects of community life like primary education, healthcare, sanitation, local infrastructure, and community security. 

On his part, the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, who presided during plenary, said, “Local Governments are dead in Nigeria. Governors misappropriate local government funds. They force these local government chairmen to sign off cheques and they give them meagre amounts as running costs. There are some governors who are different, and we thank them for doing that.”

The Senate therefore reiterated the need for President Tinubu to champion the cause of full autonomy for local governments in our nation.

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