State Houses of Assembly urged to pass local government bills

State Houses of Assembly that are yet to pass local government autonomy bills into law have been urged to do so to enhance good governance at the grassroots level.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, the National Team Leader of Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn, Dr Adiya Ode, charged state legislators to pass the bills to bring government close to the people.

The meeting was attended by journalists, social development advocates including new media influencers and social affairs analysts.

Ode charged the participants to deploy their tools to mainstream the issue of local government autonomy and mobilise citizens to partake in the crusade until the bills are passed into law.

He charged all Nigerians to add their voices to demand functional local government system and impress it on their representatives at the state Houses of Assembly across the country to support local government autonomy and pass the bills.

Deputy National Team Leader, Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn, John Mutu, explained that the local government autonomy Bills were among the 44 bills passed and transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly and that the bills require concurrence by two-third of the 36 State Houses of Assembly to become law.

He said, “The National Assembly on 1st of March, 2022 passed the constitution amendment bills granting Financial aid Administrative autonomy to local government in Nigeria. Only Abia and Kogi states have voted in favour of the two bills on local government autonomy out of 36 states, remaining 22 states.”

Mutu congratulated Abia and Kogi for taking the lead and called on all State Houses of Assembly to put people first and pass the bill without further delay.

President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Mr Akeem Ambali, said major issues bedeviling the nation will be addressed with effect local government system.

The NULGE President said the problem of insecurity, lack of social amenities, poverty and unemployment would vanish once there is functional local government system across the country.

Ambali added that the law would attract quality set of people to local government administration and that fund meant for development at the local government would not be diverted and that elected public Office holders at local government councils would be able to serve unhindered and deliver services to the people.