By Jude Opara, Abuja
As most states in the country continue to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), some members of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have charged the states to take more positive action to becoming more participatory and citizens- oriented, especially with more allocation now going to the LGAs.
However , a recent CSOs roundtable held in Owerri, Imo State observed that the third tier of government is still dogged by political challenges most of which are instigated by the state chief executives.
They argued that while the present administration under President Bola Tinubu has vigorously pushed measures that guarantee the full implementation of Local Government Autonomy, the efforts had been largely been rolled back by state governments.
According to Dr. Emeka Onoamadu, Convener of the roundtable the discussion focused on how governance at the local government level can become more citizens orientated and participatory using the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to compel LGAs to become more open in the management of their resources which now runs into hundreds of millions on a monthly basis.
“The roundtable also x-rayed the economic and political challenges which the emasculation of LGA resources by state government poses to the overall and even development of our country Nigeria”.
The CSOs present expressed their support to the effort of the president to get LGAs to be financially autonomous, even as they expressed concern over the body language of the governors which shows that 31 APC led states are not complying with President Tinubu’s desire which has been given some bite by the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on LGA independence as a third tier of government.
