A Civil Society Organization (CSO), Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) has commended Kogi State House of Assembly for the passage of the Local Government Autonomy Bill into law.
Kogi House of Assembly on Wednesday, passed into Law the Local Government Autonomy Bill.
The Bill was sent to it by the National Assembly as part of the ongoing efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution.
A statement by the Executive Director of CHRCR, Idris Miliki, on Thursday in Lokoja, commended Kogi House of Assembly, for taken the lead by passing this-all important Bill.
Miliki described the action of the lawmakers as commendable and a triumph for grassroots development, saying, ”we commend them for this great and historic achievement”.
According to him, the local government is another tier of government and Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution states that there shall be democratically elected local government councils in Nigeria.
”It is the prerogative of the legislators to amend the Law as dictated to by the relevant constitutional provisions of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
”Since 1999, efforts have been made by National Assembly to give Local Government Autonomy and free the LGA from the notorious and fraudulent joint accounts been monopolized across the country by the state government and governors without exceptions,” he said.
He stressed that the lack of autonomy by the local governments had hindered the much desired development at the grassroots.
”It has also been proved or alleged the level of insecurity in the country, but have been responsible for the underdevelopment at the grassroots level.
”All the efforts by the National Assembly to give Local Government Autonomy have not been successful due to the facts that two-third of the State Houses of Assembly need to pass it into Law.
”As the current Kogi State House of Assembly, have taken the lead by passing this-all important Bill, which is commendable and we commend them for this great and historic achievement.
”We call on the other States House of Assembly across the country to emulate the Kogi State example and free the Local Government from under-development by also passing the Bill within the shortest time, as we cannot avoid to waste more time.
”We also commend and congratulate the National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) on this historic development,” Miliki said.