A socio-cultural organisation, Rebuild Arewa Initiative for Development (RAID) has advocated full autonomy for local governments.
The Director of Strategic Communications and Publicity of the organisation, Mr. Bitako Umar, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, that full autonomy would enable the local governments discharge their constitutional responsibilities effectively.
Umar said that the local government remained the closest government to the people ,but that the “annexation “of local councils had prevented them from discharging their duties to the people at the grassroots.
“By creation, it is supposed to cater for the people at the grassroots, but the reverse has been the case.
“It has become apparent that state governments have over time annexed and frustrated the free operations of local government councils in Nigeria.
“This annexation of local government councils in Nigeria has not only frustrated grassroots development, but equally resulted to failure of the local councils,” he said.
Umar said that it had also affected the peace and security of the people and undermined nation’s cultural heritage, which ought to be protected by the local government councils.
He said that sections 162(5), 162(6) and 162(7) of the 1999 Constitution which gave states the powers to exercise control on finances of local government councils in Nigeria should be amended.
Umar said that the group believed that this would give the local government councils the financial and political autonomy to discharge their duties without hindrances.
“Similarly, we are backing the motion raised by Sen. kawu Sumaila, representing the Kano South Senatorial District, calling for the autonomy of local government councils in Nigeria,” he said.
Umar said that local government autonomy would promote development atbthe grassroots(NAN)
