Supreme Court ruling may not improve LG system — Experts

Experts have said that without political autonomy, there can never be financial autonomy, noting that the independence of the third tier of government might be a mirage; these indices are not to be taken into consideration.

Speaking at Caleb University’s Centre for Political Issues and Economic Reforms against the backdrop of the crucial role of local government reform in driving economic development at the grassroots level, Professor of Public Administration at Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. Francis Nchuchuwe disclosed that the recent Supreme Court ruling may not yield the desired result in the local government system if political interference continues unabated.

He stated that prior to the Supreme Court ruling, certain deliveries, especially at the local government level, have become worrisome, adding that the majority of the 774 LGAs are still battling with the problem of service delivery.

“That is why many reckon that the local government system is just a centre for distribution or, at best, a service centre where money, voters’ cards, palliatives, etc., are shared. It is a place where you receive your salaries and no performance,” he said.

Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, stated that the forum presented an opportunity for academic discourse on the country’s local government system, and the university would leverage similar initiatives.

“This is the beginning of a new dawn, and we hope that all the eight Centres in Caleb University will be able to bring something iconic to the table for Nigerians,” he stated.

“We are talking about service deliveries that would bring about a better life for people at the local level. We are talking about a process of economic emancipation at the local level.”

The event, among other things, also centred on the Supreme Court’s ruling of July 11, which granted financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas in the country, the challenges that have been bedevilling the third tier of government since its inception in 1950, and how public administrators could leverage the landmark judgment to bring governance and development to the grassroots.

Director, Centre for Political Issues and Economic Thoughts, Dr. Samuel Idowu, affirmed that the event would equip Nigerians with real-time information about local government, especially the challenges that had limited its impacts in the last five decades.

He noted that without true financial autonomy, the agitations and expectations of Nigerians may be dashed.

“I believe that after this, we will all be better informed and be able to say that wherever we find ourselves, the autonomy of local government can translate into meaningful grassroots economic development,” he stated.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation, Strategy, and Administration (RISA), Prof. Olalekan Asikhia, charged local government administrators to raise their game and make the people their mouthpiece by delivering quality services at the grassroots.

He said, “What this means in essence is that if the local government can engage in governance, not necessarily waiting for autonomy. If all they receive as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and allocations are used thoroughly, they will put pressure on the people to demand more.”