The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has identified inadequate funding as one of the most significant challenges hindering local government autonomy in Nigeria, calling for urgent reforms to enhance local government administration.
Speaking at a National Dialogue on Local Government Reform and Constitutional Amendment in Abuja, Abbas, represented by Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, emphasized that local governments are often financially constrained, affecting their ability to provide essential services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
He stated, “Local governments often operate on budgets that are insufficient to meet their responsibilities. This financial constraint limits their ability to deliver essential services such as education, healthcare, infrastructure development, and sanitation.”
Highlighting the need for autonomy, Abbas said, “Local governments must operate with a degree of autonomy that allows them to respond promptly and appropriately to the unique needs of their communities. Sadly, significant challenges, including inadequate funding, lack of autonomy, and corruption, have plagued local governments for decades.”
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in managing local government funds. He highlighted the provisions of the 1999 Constitution that assign specific responsibilities to local governments, such as primary healthcare and sanitation, but lamented poor financial management and oversight.
“Local government councils are in charge of primary health care, sanitation, and road construction. During my tenure, we conducted free and fair elections, allowing opposition parties to win some councillor positions. Accountability is critical. Every expenditure above ₦500,000 was scrutinized to ensure funds were judiciously utilized,” Kalu said.
He also stressed the need to separate state and local government responsibilities, citing the example of primary school teachers’ salaries, which remain the responsibility of local governments.
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