LG autonomy: Akume leads FG’s committee to enforce Supreme Court judgement

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated a 10-member committee to enforce the July 11, 2024 judgment of the Supreme Court that granted financial autonomy to the 774 local governments in Nigeria.

The apex court had in the ruling declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local governments from the FAAC allocations.

The apex court also declared the running of local governments by unelected caretaker committees illegal.

The Court had also in the judgment barred the Federal Government from paying allocations to unelected administrators at the local governments

The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated an an inter-ministerial committee to give teeth to the Supreme Court judgment.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, inaugurated 10-Man Inter-Ministerial Committee to Enforce Supreme Court Judgement in Abuja.

Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen who announced this in a statement said Akume would chair the committee.

According to the statement, the primary function of the committee is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments.

Other members of the Committee are the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice – Member; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; Accountant General of the Federation; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria CBN; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance; Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Representative of State Governors; and, Representative of Local Governments.

“The committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments,” he said.

“This move is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to give appropriate implementation to the provisions of the Constitution, which recognizes local governments as the third tier of government,” the statement further indicated.