As a country, Nigeria runs a three-tier system of government at federal, state and local levels. According to the constitution, Nigeria has a federal government, 36 state governments and 774 local governments (including six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory). When it comes to governance, the three tiers have their distinct responsibilities but are expected to work in harmony and unity to allow for the smooth running of the country and spread development.

Specifically, the fourth schedule of the Nigerian Constitution clearly states the functions of the local governments. These functions include the provision and maintenance of primary, adult and vocational education; the development of agriculture and natural resources, other than the exploitation of materials; the provision and maintenance of health services; and construction and maintenance of roads, streets, street lightings, drains and other public highways, parks, gardens, open spaces, or such public facilities as may be prescribed from time to time by the House of Assembly of the state where they exist.

But unfortunately, the local governments have successfully been annexed by the states, stripping them of their power and independence. They have been stifled and pocketed by state governors who have taken over their funds but not the responsibility to run them. Local governments now hardly have access to their own finances, let alone use same to execute projects at the grassroots.

For instance, a report released by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, showed that from 2020 – 2021, a whooping sum of N8.8 trillion was allocated to states and the local governments from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). Based on the FAAC sharing formula, the FG gets 52.68 per cent, states get 26.72 per cent while LGs get 20.60 per cent of the revenue shared.

However, despite the huge sum accruing to the LGs from the federation, development is scarce because the state governments will take over the control of money through what is called a joint account between the states and the local governments, with the latter as mere subordinates. Many state governors will rather appoint caretaker leadership than organise council elections. Some governors, on assumption of office, even go ahead to sack democratically elected LG officials and replace them before the expiration of their tenure. When and where elections are held, the ruling party in the state manipulates the process to shut out opposition candidates. All this is done to ensure maximum grip over the resources of the LGs.

Today, many local councils cannot even pay all the salaries and entitlements of their workers, let alone embark on projects that can impact the lives of those at the grassroots. They can neither run primary schools nor equip primary healthcare centres as contained in the constitution. They cannot build roads as they used to, among other responsibilities.

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have always blamed state governors over the collapse of governance at the third tier of government. Indeed, according to NULGE, out of the 36 states in the country, only Rivers and Jigawa states were found not to be diverting LG funds despite the directive by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit issued in May 2019, that state governments should steer clear of allocations belonging to the third tier of government.

We make bold to say that no positive development will be possible without effective governance at the grassroots which falls under the purview of local government. Truth be told, collapse of governance at the local government level is what has given criminal elements the space to operate, using our forests as hideouts. It is what has made our primary healthcare centres incapable of handling even the most common of illnesses.

We must give the local governments a new lease of life by removing all the obstacles blocking them from discharging their constitutionally recognised functions. Even the joint account system, which was created to enable the state to supervise the spending of local governments in Nigeria, has outlived its usefulness and should be abrogated. This is because the system is now being abused by state governors who introduce all sorts of unjustifiable deductions or divert local government funds at will and for selfish reasons.

While noting efforts of agencies, such as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), to introduce sanity in the management of local government resources, we urge all other relevant authorities to ensure that the autonomy to the third tier of government is a reality. State governments must allow local governments to assume control over their finances and must resist the temptation to interfere with LGs’ revenue from the federation account. Local governments must be allowed to play their role which is, no doubt, critical to the socio-economic development of communities that make up the Nigerian nation.

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