By Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia.
Who will bail the Local Government System in Nigeria ?
It is obvious that Local Government Areas were made the third tier of the Government just like Federal and State governments are the first and second tiers respectively during the Local Government Reform of 1988 .
Local Government has been enjoying the quasi-independence in line with the reform until 2002 .
No thanks to 1999 Constitution that gave the State House of Assemblies powers to Legislate on Local Government matters.
The Various Houses of Assembly which in practice are extension of State executive arms , went into collaboration with the state executives and put Local Government into Financial and Administrative arrest and thereby defeat the aims of LGA Reforms of 1988.
Under the Local Government Reform, Local Governments are to maintain their independence to some extent .
There is supposed to be a functional Ministries . Local Government Councilors are to legislate for the Local Government , just the Way National Assembly and State House of Assemblies do for Federal Government and State government respectively . Today, Councilors are just in theory and of no powers in practice ! No thanks to the state government political and administrative arrest .
Today, joint Local Government/State account appeared without any backup law. In this account, State Governments use it to collect LGA money which LGA Chairmen will now go to beg for peanut from what is meant for them.The worst is that under this arrangement , the needs of the Local Government is immaterial .
The worst is that, Chairmen will be meant to sign that they received money they never did just to be in good book of the governor who can sack any of them at a while! Where then is the mandate given to third tier of the government by the people in line with the constitution?
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Sometimes, Local Government can be given as little as #1.5million for the month even when such LGA received about #100million for the said month from the Federal government allocation!
Anambra state for example , gives LGA Chairmen #1.5million as monthly allocation ! Who will bail LG System from this arrest?
As if Quarantining the Statutory allocation of the Local Government Areas is not enough to the state , the State Government also ,takes control of Internal Revenue Windows of the LGA , even when the Constitution gave Local Government powers to be in control of Markets , motor Parks, etc .State Governments across the Nation have relegated the dictates of our Constitution and are in control of parks, Markets , etc meant for the LGA..!
Local Government is now a tool in the hands of States.
They have Ministries of Local Government across the states with a Commissioner !
Imagine Federal government having a Minister for State Government ?
A Local Government Chairman can't even maintain a local road or construct Culvert drainage as envisaged by the framers of our constitution ! No thanks to State Government.
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State will do such duties meant for Local Government and the Chairman will be called to come and sign what he or she knew nothing about!
Some state Dont even conduct LGA election and when you question them , they hide under the state House of Assembly who will back it up with Act of State Assembly which they will manufacture , House of Assembly will hide under the lacuna in our Constitution to produce a law that will legalize State Government's illegality in LGA activities .
The point is that State Governors sees LGA money as a free money , while people in the LGA sees their elected officials as none performing !
How can LGA Chairman perform with the above situation? How ?
The point also is that without a functional Local Government System , Pressure will center in the State.
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Without Decentralization and devaluation of powers from states to LGAs as envisaged by the Constitution , tension will continue to mount in the polity .
Local Government is the closest government to the people , knows people and their concerns more , but the states adopted LGA/State working Relationship has rendered LGA expected Results Wonderful in the papers, but Impossible in practice !
Who will save the LGA ? Can State Assemblies intervene ?
Will National Assembly find a Constitutional ground to stand and right this wrong ?
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www.nigeria1snews.blogspot.com
Can The President use Administrative directives to redirect this issue?
Can the governors let 'Israelites' go?
I call for synergy of all Parties involved in this issue. Let's seek for masses interest and constitutional stand as we move to solve one of Nigerian most Controversial political question of 4th Republic !
Making of Illegality to be Legal!
God Bless Nigeria.
Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia.
Abuja,Nigeria
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