FG Sets Up Committee To Enforce Local Government Autonomy Following Supreme Court Ruling

The Federal Government of Nigeria has established a 10-member committee to enforce the recent Supreme Court ruling that grants financial autonomy to Local Governments across the country.

This development was announced by Segun Imohiosen, the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), in a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Committee, which he will personally chair.

The committee’s membership includes key government officials, such as the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, a representative of the state governors, and a representative of local governments.

The committee’s primary mandate is to ensure the full implementation of local government autonomy, enabling local governments to operate independently without interference from state governments.

This initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to uphold the provisions of the Constitution, which recognizes local governments as the third tier of government. The committee’s work will be crucial in ensuring that the Supreme Court’s verdict, delivered on July 11, 2024, is properly enforced.