LGA Funds: Katsina Will Obey Supreme Court Ruling – Governor Radda

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Katsina State Government will abide by the Supreme Court Judgement on Local Council autonomy.

It has, therefore, set up machineries to study the judgement with a view to understanding its nitty gritty.

In a statement issued on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Abuja by his Media Aide Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Governor Dikko Umar Radda, noted that he has directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, to avail him of the details of the ruling.

Governor Radda emphasised that as a former Local Council Chairman, he fully appreciates the imperativeness of allowing the Local Councils  a measure of autonomy.

He added that Katsina as a law abiding State, will not find it challenging to implement the Supreme court ruling .

He, however, asserted that the Local Councils in the state have been enjoying a reasonable measure of autonomy.

“Katsina State is a law abiding state and will operate under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I have asked the State Attorney General to give me a full report on the legal implications of the Supreme Court’s decision.

“As you know, I was once the Chairman of Charanchi Local Government during the administration of our beloved late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

“I was involved in the day to day administration of my Local Government and I am fully aware of the challenges and pains most of them are facing”, Radda noted.

The Katsina State Governor said the State has equally set its eyes on conducting Council Polls  to elect those that will take over from the present crop of Chairmen at the end of their tenure in a few months time.

“We have already carried out party primaries in line with electoral best practices, and some current Chairmen will return through a democratic process.

“In this dispensation, we are most likely the only State to transit from one democratically elected Local Government Council to another”

Governor Radda, however, noted the various challenges that have been thrown by the recent Supreme Court ruling on the autonomy for the Local Councils.

Particularly, he acknowledged the problems posed by such issues as financial management, personnel matters and the ongoing joint projects at the Local Council Levels .

“Between June 2023 and June 2024, the Federal Allocation to Local Governments in Katsina was about N130.1 billion..

“Out of this, N66 billion was spent on salaries, N10.1 billion on pensions and gratuities, N12 .13 billion on security request, from some Local Governments and N4 billion on direct running costs.

“We must use the coming weeks to review all our existing laws and begin to work on new laws that will harmonize out developmental objectives .

“I have set up a committee comprising State, Local Governments, and the State House of Assembly representatives along with other experts to formulate a way forward.” the Governor assured.