The introduction of a bill by the Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, requiring local governments to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a state-controlled consolidated account is unacceptable.
Development Diaries reports that according to Section 13(1) of the bill, the state shall maintain a ‘State Joint Local Government Account’, into which all federal allocations to local governments must be deposited.
It is understood that if passed, the bill would allow the state government to share in funds meant for local government councils, potentially undermining their financial independence.
This comes shortly after the Supreme Court ruling reinforcing financial independence for local governments.
The bill also raises significant concerns about respecting the rule of law and adhering to the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
Proposing legislation that mandates local governments to remit a portion of their allocations to a state-controlled consolidated account appears to contradict the essence of the Supreme Court ruling.
Recall that the Senate recently asked state and local governments to immediately comply with the apex court judgment, particularly relating to local government accounts and the funds given directly to them.
It is important to state the need for governors to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court. Any state governor attempting to control local government funds through legislative means is only trying to undermine the very essence of local government autonomy.
Governors must recognise that respecting the ruling is not only a constitutional obligation but also a means to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
As political observers warn, if states like Anambra succeed in enacting laws that undermine this autonomy, it could set a dangerous precedent for other states.
Development Diaries calls on Governor Soludo to retract this bill, while we also call on other state governors to focus on empowering local governments to fulfill their mandate rather than seeking ways to circumvent judicial decisions.
