Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu’s administration has inaugurated a 10-man inter-ministerial committee tasked with enforcing the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment that grants financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria. The committee was inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
This committee’s establishment follows the landmark Supreme Court ruling delivered on July 11, which mandates that funds allocated to local governments must be paid directly into their accounts, bypassing state governments. The judgment, issued by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared it unconstitutional for state governments to withhold and use allocations meant for local government areas, as stipulated by Section 162(3) of the Constitution.
The committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, enabling them to operate independently of state governments. The members of the committee include:
- Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Chairman)
- Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy
- Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice
- Minister of Budget & Economic Planning
- Accountant General of the Federation
- Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria
- Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Finance)
- Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation & Fiscal Commission
- Representative of State Governors
- Representative of Local Governments
Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information & Public Relations at the Ministry of Information, stated, “The committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments. This move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to properly implement the constitutional provisions recognizing local governments as the third tier of government.”
In July, SaharaReporters reported on the Supreme Court’s decision requiring direct payments of local government funds. The ruling aims to decentralize financial control and enhance grassroots development.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), was instrumental in filing the suit seeking local governments’ autonomy. This decision aligns with ongoing efforts to enhance local governance and financial independence.
President Tinubu’s administration recently reached an agreement with the 36 state governors to delay the full implementation of financial autonomy until October 2024. This decision followed concerns regarding the impact of immediate implementation on salary payments and operational viability. The federal government and state governors agreed to a three-month moratorium to address these issues before moving forward with the autonomy measures.