The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated a 10-man committee to enforce the recent Supreme Court ruling that granted financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the apex court has on July 11 declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for Local Council administrations.
Five weeks on, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, set up the inter-ministerial committee to implement the verdict.
Disclosing this in a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, said Akume would chair the committee.
Other members joining the SGF are the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu; Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso.
Also in the committee are the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance; Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Representative of State Governors; and, Representative of Local Governments.
“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,” he said.
“This move is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to give appropriate implementation to the provisions of the Constitution, which recognizes local governments as the third tier of government.”
