Prior to the current dispensation in Nigeria, local governments used to receive statutory allocation independently from the federal government. As a result, far more alluring projects were executed by the then local government chairmen.
In Jega, Kebbi State, Haruna Jada could be the most popular local government chairman in the town’s history. His illustrative tenure owed its magnificent achievements to financial independence. The legacies of the late chairman can still rival what the three successive governors of Kebbi State achieved in the town.
Suddenly, the local government chairmen became caricatures of themselves under the unpopular State Joint Local Government Account (SJLA). But in order to bring the system back to its previous sanity, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) 2019 gave guidelines to the state governors, and three years later the status quo was maintained.
President Muhamadu Buhari has been the forefront proponent of local government autonomy. He will spare no opportunity on many occasions to express his thoughts about the short change phenomenon perpetrated by the state governments in that State Joint Local Government Account.
The first time the President would perhaps be aware and blow hot about the arrangements between the state and local government was during those periods when the state governors kept getting disbursements of one fund or the other; from bailout to Paris club refund. But it turned out the local governments were given a percentage with the agreement of collecting the full package.
Another instance came from the build up to the 2019 general election in the widely publicized TV interview, The Candidate, at questions and answers sessions, President Buhari was asked about his plan for the almajiri. In his response, he declared the issue of almajiri to be a local government affair.
But knowing fully that the local government chairmen have been crippled, they are unable to bring noticeable impact. The President gave the chairman a hint : “ if the local government chairman are not being given the money by the governors then it is up to them to come together and scream loud enough for Nigeria to hear them so that there will be allocation of resources properly”
Again on the rumour rebuttal interview granted on Arise TV, the President In his words said ” the local governments are virtually killed, you know it, the three tiers of government, federal, state and local government if they are being properly handled, we wouldn’t have all these social problems’’. The president further said, Local Government chairman have been compromised.
But the local government chairmen appear not to be uncomfortable with the phenomenon. There has not been calls for foul play from their quarters or is it a case of common saying about the situation in Nigeria “we are suffering and smiling”?
Among a few exceptions was the Koko-Besse local government chairman who took up the challenge to burst the bubble. Though the chairman cited personal ground in his resignation letter but as the report has it, the unpopular arrangement was the main reason. According to the report, he was made incapacitated to meet up with the expectations of those who voted him into office.
Why would the local government’s financial independence be the holy grail of insecurity?
There is widespread enthusiasm for small and medium scale enterprises which is seen to be the driver of the economy. This model is a poverty eradication tool too, because through it improved distribution of wealth in the country could be achieved. During the 2019 vice presidential debate, Peter Obi drove on the back of this idea his envisioned new Nigeria for the audience elicited a standing ovation.
Another model is the United Nations Sustainable Goals Developments (SDGs). In a bid to mitigate global problems, the UN sought to provide local solutions through the SDGs. This is a realization of the fact that the prosperity of the centre depends largely on grassroots development.
Similar to these mentioned models is Local Government council empowerment. The local government chairmen are the ones who directly deal with the grassroots in bringing the wealth and education to them which in turn, hold the solution key to the social imbalances that many times lead to waywardness ,banditry, kidnapping and extremism.
With stories flying around that the Supreme Court has stripped the governor’s ability to sack local government chairmen, the hope for local independence is high and ultimately the elixir for the nation’s security has been in sight.
Abdulmumin writes from Zaria
