The Federal Government is taking a step forward in the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee set up to enforce the verdict would begin a two-day meeting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Members of the panel will be discussing the modalities for the enforcement of the apex court verdict that mandates direct disbursements of funds to the 774 local government areas from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The committee, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has as members Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AG-F).
Others are: Central Bank of Nigeria (NGF) Governor Yemi Cardoso; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance; Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC); representative of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and representative of the local governments.
The AG-F has concluded plans for the disbursement of funds to democratically elected councils this week, a government source told The Nation.
A member of the committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the panel’s focus is to finalise measures for achieving financial and administrative independence for the 774 councils, despite resistance by governors.
He said the committee is expected to evolve counter-actions against some governors seeking to undermine the autonomy by maintaining direct access to funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The source also disclosed that the panel would proceed with the assignment after receiving “guidelines and guidance” from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
He acknowledged the need for specific clarifications on how best to handle resistance by some state governments ahead of the commencement of direct payments to local governments this week.
