State Governors Seek to Halt Direct Allocation to Local Councils
State Governors Seek to Halt Direct Allocation to Local Councils
- State governors in Nigeria are making a fresh attempt to halt the planned disbursement of federal allocation to local government councils, in a bid to delay the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict on Local Government Area (LGA) autonomy.
During a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, some governors expressed opposition to paying the LG allocation through the Central Bank of Nigeria. They cited the need to address the multi-billion dollar debts allegedly incurred by the councils as a reason for their opposition.
Presidency officials revealed that the governors used the opportunity of the Iftar dinner to lobby the President and renew negotiations on direct allocation to the councils, which has faced delays.
The Supreme Court had earlier ruled that the federal government should pay allocations directly to local government councils, bypassing state governments. This decision aimed to promote transparency and accountability in the administration of public funds.
However, the implementation of this ruling has been slow, with many state governments refusing to comply. The governors’ latest move is seen as an attempt to further delay the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The Supreme Court’s ruling aimed to grant financial autonomy to local government councils, allowing them to receive allocations directly from the federal government.
The direct payment of allocations to local government councils is intended to promote transparency and accountability in the administration of public funds.
Many state governments have opposed the Supreme Court’s ruling, citing concerns over the management of funds by local government councils
