Akume, Edun lead 10-man LG Autonomy Implementation Panel

The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-man inter-ministerial committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.

The Supreme Court had on July 11 granted local governments across the country autonomy.

An apex court seven-man panel, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, said the Federal Government had set up a committee for the implementation of the judgment.

He said, “The Secretary to the Government of the Federation has inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgment delivered on 11th July, 2024 granting financial autonomy to Local Governments in Nigeria. “

Imohiosen said the SGF, George Akume, would lead the committee.

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 and the Accountant General of the Federation are members of the committee.

Others are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; the Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Finance), Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, representatives of state governors and representatives of local governments.

Imohiosen added that the objective of the committee was to make sure the local governments in the country enjoy their autonomy.

He said, “The committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments.

“This move is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to give appropriate implementation to the provisions of the Constitution, which recognises local governments as the third tier of government.”