President Bola Tinubu has been called upon to Champion the cause of full autonomy for local Governments in Nigeria.
The move according to Lawmakers will combat persistent security threats, rural-urban migration, crumbling infrastructure, and widespread unemployment.
This is as Federal Lawmakers also called for a National dialogue involving Governors, state legislators, local Government officials, civil society organizations, and community leaders to craft a roadmap towards achieving full local Government autonomy.
The upper chamber’s resolution follows a motion Sponsored by Senator Kawu, Suleiman (APC Kano South) highlighting the erosion of local autonomy by successive governments, leading to limited financial resources and decision-making control.
Senator Kawu added that Corruption and resource mismanagement have further marred some local governments’ image, exacerbating uneven development across the nation.
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Senator Kawu emphasized the pivotal role some Governors play in obstructing local government autonomy through constitutional alteration processes.
He says With constrained financial and operational autonomy, local Governments struggle to address local security concerns such as community policing and infrastructure maintenance effectively.
Lawmakers unanimously condemned Governors impeding grassroots development and recognized the urgent need to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
Consequently, the Senate urged President Tinubu to leverage his leadership and influence to garner support for full local Government autonomy.
The lawmakers also want President Tinubu to champion constitutional amendments to guarantee genuine independence for local governments, granting them control over resources and decision-making
This is as they urged Federal agencies to fully comply with existing legal provisions that empower local governments, ensuring the timely release of allocated funds directly to their bank accounts and streamlining administrative processes.
(Editor: Ena Agbanoma)
