Former President Goodluck Jonathan says addressing the issues affecting governance at the grassroots will help in the fight against insecurity.
Jonathan, while speaking at a graduation lecture at the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, said states must take deliberate steps to revive the local government system.
The former president’s statement came amidst calls for governors to grant financial autonomy for state houses of assembly and local governments.
In May 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari had, through an executive order, granted financial autonomy to legislature and judiciary arms of all states.
In April 2021, the governors had, in April 2021, approved a template for financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary. Despite this many states are yet to grant full autonomy to their legislature and judiciary, as well as local governments.
“The local government system that is supposed to interphase with communities directly and prevent this is dead in this country,” he said.
“Since the local governments are mainly managed by the states now, I think the states must have strong departments that will coordinate the affairs of local governments. And these departments must have regular meetings with traditional rulers and community development committees.”
