Obasanjo chides govs opposed to LGs’ autonomy

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, criticised state governors opposed to local government autonomy in Nigeria, describing them as enemies of the people.Obasanjo, who decried how state governments have financially incapacitated local governments, said there must be sustained efforts by stakeholders to liberate councils to enhance their development. He spoke when members of a non-governmental organization, Friends of Democracy, paid him a visit at his residence inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.

The organisation had sought the ex-president’s support for Local Government Autonomy Bill which had been passed by the National Assembly, but still requires the nod of at least 24 State Houses of Assembly. In his remarks, Obasanjo recalled how local government reforms were carried out in 1976 during his military regime to make them the third tier of government.

The former president, however, observed that over 40 years after, many local councils could not perform their statutory functions because they have been crippled by state governments. He said local governments’ funds have virtually been “stolen” by state government functionaries through the contraption of Joint Account. He expressed regret that state governments, which are autonomous, have continued to undermine the agitation for local government autonomy in the country. Obasanjo said: “When, in 1976, we brought in Local Government Reforms, it was meant to be third tier of the government and not meant to be subjected to whims and caprices of any other government; just the same way that the state government is autonomous from the Federal Government. “Local government is meant to be autonomous from the state government.

But from what we know, by design, most states have incapacitated the local government. They have virtually stolen the local governments’ money in what they called Joint Account. “They were to contribute 10 per cent, but they never contributed anything. So, what we have across the country are local government areas that have functions, but cannot perform the functions. They have staff, but most of them cannot pay the staff, and we keep getting excuses upon excuses. “And I see no reason, if the Federal Government allows the states to enjoy their autonomy, except in the case of state of emergency, the local governments should have autonomy.

“The Bill passed by the National Assembly which requires 24 state Houses of Assembly and like I am told only nine states have signed it. I am proud of those states because they are what you will call progressive states that really believe in democracy. “My own state (Ogun) is one of them. I will say kudos to Ogun State.

In the South-South, only Bayelsa and Cross River states have signed it. Kudos to those two states. In the North-East, it’s only Bauchi. “In the North-West, it’s only Sokoto. In the North- Central, we have four states – Kwara, Niger, Plateau and Benue. “But we must say those state executives and the legislatures that have prevented the bill from being passed, they must be taken as the enemies of the people and they should be treated as such. Because if you enjoy autonomy from the Federal Government, why don’t you want local government to enjoy autonomy?”