By Jonathan Okpanachi
The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has expressed joy over Thursday’s Supreme Court’s judgment that granted financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
The forum’s director of national publicity and advocacy, Mr Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, disclosed this in a release.
He said the landmark decision was anticipated to propel substantial development at the grass-roots level.
Quoting the forum, “This bold move holds great promise for empowering local governments to take charge of their own affairs and address the pressing needs of their communities.
“One of the pivotal advantages of financial autonomy for LGAs is the enhancement of their capacity to plan and execute development projects tailored to the unique necessities of their respective communities.
“In the past, local governments have been marginalized, emasculated, and sidelined in the decision-making process, with the bulk of resources and power concentrated at the state level.
“This has led to inefficiency and ineffectiveness in delivering basic services, such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure at the grassroots level.”
Sulaiman said that NEF applauded the Supreme Court for addressing this imbalance of power and resources, paving the way for more targeted and effective local governance.
With the judgment, he said, local governments would be able to prioritise and fund projects that directly impact the lives of their people.
Suleiman said LGAs could invest in building new schools, improving healthcare facilities, or upgrading roads and transportation networks to enhance connectivity and access to markets.
He said, “Financial autonomy is expected to foster greater accountability and transparency in the management of public funds at the local level.
“This, in turn, is expected to help reduce corruption and mismanagement of public funds—longstanding issues in Nigeria’s governance system.
“Granting financial autonomy to the LGAs will promote participatory governance and citizen engagement in decision-making processes.
“This will foster a sense of ownership and empowerment among citizens, as they will have a direct role in shaping the future of their communities.”
He, however, cautioned the local governments’ officials against the misappropriation of the newly-granted resources.
Sulaiman said, “It should be noted that the plunder and pillage of LG resources by top officials would no longer be the order of the day. Any acts of looting and open theft would not be tolerated. The NEF stands firm in its commitment to ensuring that the judgment marks the beginning of a prosperous and equitable era for all Nigerian communities.”
