The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has criticised the Federal Government for failing to implement the Supreme Court’s decision granting financial autonomy to local governments across the country.
NULGE President, Aliyu Kankara, raised the concern during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, saying the delay, almost 18 months after the court’s verdict, was unacceptable.
According to Kankara, the responsibility of enforcing the judgment rests with the Federal Government rather than state governments, urging President Bola Tinubu to ensure immediate compliance with the ruling.
“Almost one year and six months after the Supreme Court judgment, there has not been any attempt by the Federal Government to implement the ruling,” he said.
He explained that the Supreme Court had ordered that local government allocations should be transferred directly from the Federation Account through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Kankara identified the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Central Bank of Nigeria as key institutions responsible for carrying out the directive.
He described the continued delay as a breach of constitutional principles, stressing that every government institution must respect and obey Supreme Court decisions.
“A Supreme Court judgment is the law. The Federal Government, as a democratic government, should respect the rule of law and implement the judgment,” he stated.
The NULGE president argued that the matter was no longer about political disagreements over local government autonomy but about upholding the country’s legal system.
He added that granting councils direct access to their funds would improve grassroots development by enabling local governments to provide better healthcare, education, sanitation, road infrastructure and other essential services.
Kankara also linked the lack of financial independence for local councils to rising insecurity, noting that local governments understand their communities better and require adequate resources to tackle security challenges.
“Local governments know their terrain, understand their communities and can contribute significantly to addressing insecurity, but they need the necessary resources to do so,” he said.
He assured that NULGE would continue its advocacy efforts until the Supreme Court judgment was fully implemented, describing local government financial autonomy as vital for effective governance.
Kankara further disclosed that both NULGE and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had written to President Tinubu regarding the issue but were yet to receive a formal response.
“We have written to the president and the NLC has also written. We are still awaiting a response, but we will continue to advocate implementation,” he added.
(NAN)