CCIDESOR says economic emasculation of LGs breeds insecurity, joblessness, poverty at grassroots
The Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR), an NGO, says current economic and fiscal emasculation of Local Government Councils breed insecurity, joblessness and poverty at the grassroots nationwide.
The Executive Director of CCIDESOR, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu during a Stakeholders Roundtable on Freedom of Information Act on Thursday.
The roundtable, which was themed: Reviving Local Governance: Citizens-Led Advocacy for Local Government Budget Accountability and Reform in Nigeria, was organised by CCIDESOR in partnership with Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (SituationRoom).
Ononamadu said that the near collapse of the council areas fiscal, revenue generation and job creation capacities had left huge level of impoverishment and deprivation which had reduced the standard of living of Nigerians nationwide.
“We are calling on the political actors to allow every tier of government to function effectively, so that we can hold each tier accountable for the resources they are receiving both internally and from the federation account.
“When you talk about emasculation of the council areas; is the state government you are talking about; that have emasculated them.
“The state governments have, like we have found, contracted out most of the functions of the local government to their political party members and personal cronies and it’s happening all over the country.
“We are sad that this is happening and it is making people living at the local council areas and council workers to be unproductive and redundant,” he said.
The executive director lauded President Bola Tinubu for following up on his belief on local government financial autonomy to a victory at the Supreme Court, adding “we need action on the apex court pronouncement.”
Ononamadu noted that the council areas also needed fiscal, political and administrative autonomy to fully stimulate the local economy to steady growth and.prosperity.
On fiscal autonomy, he noted that council areas needed to generate its own yearly budget, internally generated revenue and create short and long term investment concern for its survival.
“There is a need for 100 per cent political autonomy of credible and people-elected leadership and not the present governor’s handpicked administrators answerable to the governor alone.
“The council authorities must have full administrative control over all issues and people living within the council area, by making administrative council laws for the good and prosperity of all,” he said.
Earlier, State President of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Enugu State Chapter, Mr Udoagha Ani, stressed the need to revive the local council system to effectively work and deliver good governance at the grassroots.
Ani noted that an effective council area would reduce pressure at state and federal levels of government as well as give vast majority of Nigerians a sense of belonging and willingness to support development in their localities.
