By Jonas Odocha
As expected, Nigerians are jubilant over the Supreme Court ruling on the constitutional interpretation of the autonomy of Local Government Administration [LGA], as it pertains to fiscal responsibility and manner of evolution. This stems from the previous vexatious practice, in which the state governors controlled the LG funds and appointed CARETAKER CHAIRMEN to run LG affairs, in contravention to the constitutional provision for democratically elected officials. It is therefore anticipated that this ruling would usher in the expected grassroots development, which this third tier of governance was created to achieve.
It is obvious that not even one of the 774 LGs could boast of evident grassroots development while the state governors emasculated LG administration. It was not a function of paucity of funds because the appropriated funds were religiously allocated in tandem with Federal and State funds. This is why the crux of the matter of grassroots underdevelopment goes beyond the issue of LG autonomy. Please recall that prior to independence in 1960, the existing Local Councils were sources of funds generation, and also contributed in infrastructure development, health and education improvement and socio-economic advancement of the grassroots citizenry. Can we ever forget the ubiquitous presence of those tobacco-snuffing Public Works Department [PWD] roadside workers, the village-house surprise visits of those uniformed Sanitary Inspectors, the Para-medical attendants in the village dispensaries and maternities, together with the activities of the garden and farm inspectors, who arrested straying goats and sheep that trespassed into prohibited areas. Defaulters were penalized and appropriate fines collected from them to enrich the coffers of the councils. That was then, but today all these are buried in institutional memory.
It is not surprising to learn that the state governors are not happy with this verdict but what then did they do with the LG funds which they had controlled? They were comfortable appointing stooges as the nebulous caretaker chairmen of LGs, who were not accountable to the grassroots people, but danced to the mono-tones of the ravaging and invading state governors.
It is therefore imperative that henceforth, LG elections must be transparent and credible, so that stooges who would still cling to the apron-strings of governors are not foisted on the masses as chairmen. LG projects and Budgets must be thoroughly scrutinised and monitored for accountability and transparency. These funds are not now a change of wallets, for the LG chairmen to procure bullet-proof SUVs and establish convoys, obtain humongous LG security votes and resurrect LG first lady encumbrances.
But who will ensure that LG chairmen do not misapply and misappropriate these autonomous funds? There must be this willingness, readiness and ability to have a change of heart at all levels. Otherwise, this LG autonomy will end up a mere commentary. Just my view!!!
