The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidency is not serious about the implementation of the Local Government Financial Autonomy, according to he National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE.
NULGE National President Hakeem Olatunji Ambali made the assertion at the weekend, the Nigerian Tribune reports.
He accused some top presidency officials of delaying the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on the matter, wondering why it has become so difficult to adhere to the verdict of the highest court in the country.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court made a landmark judgment allowing the 774 local governments in the country to have financial autonomy free from State government control.
As part of the historical verdict, the apex court in the country directed that the joint account between state governments and LGAs are illegal, the Councils, the Court declared must open their own Accounts with the Central bank for Nigeria, CBN.
More than six months after the judgment, ALGON said the accounts were yet to be opened due to frustrations from some top officials of the federal
Ambali said, “We know that some saboteurs under Mr. President’s government are behind,” the delay.
He added, “So, we call on President Bola Tinubu to act promptly so that these saboteurs do not cause problems for his government.
“This decision to fund local governments directly is one of the most popular measures taken by this government. This was affirmed by the wild jubilation across the country when the Supreme Court issued its judgment. So, one wonders why the implementation of this judgment is being delayed. The sooner the judgment is implemented, the better for us.
“Mr. President must take direct action and remove the stumbling blocks some people are placing in the way to frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.”
When probed further on the issue Ambali said, “We place the blame solely on the Federal Government, not the Governors Forum. If the Federal Government were serious about implementing this Court judgment, especially the critical aspect of local governments opening accounts with the CBN, that process would have been completed long ago.
“If the implementation of a Supreme Court judgment is being treated in this manner, it shows how the rule of law is being observed in Nigeria. This is the time for the Federal Government to correct this anomaly.”
Regarding the role of ALGON in the issue, he said, “ALGON is actually doing its best to fast-track the process. The Federal Government, however, is where we have an issue in the whole implementation of this judgment. Instead of making public statements about local governments not opening accounts, Federal Government officials could have issued a circular to all 774 local governments, urging them to open the accounts as a matter of urgency. Instead, they prefer to make public statements. This delay tactic is unnecessary and uncalled for.
“Therefore, our call is for the Federal Government to obey the judgment of its own Supreme Court by fast-tracking the implementation, especially by ensuring that the account-opening processes are completed without further delay. President Tinubu should send a directive immediately that the rule of law in this country must be upheld and obeyed.?
The July 2024 landmark judgment by the Supreme Court was greeted with applause from not a few Nigerians, who welcome it saying the LGAs had finally been freed from the control of state governors.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
