Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa has stated that only a constitutional amendment can elevate the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to the same status as Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The LCDAs were originally created by President Bola Tinubu during his tenure as governor in 2003.
Last week, the Lagos House of Assembly proposed a bill aimed at redefining local governance, titled “A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Local Governments’ System, Establishment, and Administration.”
This legislation seeks to consolidate existing laws regarding local government administration and outlines a structure whereby Lagos will operate through democratically elected LGs.
During the second public hearing on the proposed bill, Obasa emphasized, “It will be recalled that this House of Assembly in 2003 enacted a law establishing 37 LCDAs.
However, until there is a consequential constitutional amendment that recognizes the LCDAs as full-fledged local governments, they will continue to be known as LCDAs.” He clarified that the LCDAs will retain their duties as assigned by the Lagos State House of Assembly and through executive directives from the state government.
The proposed law stipulates that the 20 LGAs will oversee the LCDAs and will be responsible for appointing mayors for the development areas, with such appointments requiring confirmation by the assembly. Obasa noted that this approach aligns with a Supreme Court judgment affirming the autonomy of the 774 local councils, emphasizing the need for compliance.
Additionally, he highlighted that sub-clause 3 of clause 3 of the bill provides for the designation of LCDAs and their headquarters, aiming to ensure efficient local government administration.
Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government Okanlawon Sanni, remarked that the bill offers a legal framework for effective grassroots service delivery and incorporates amendments for optimal local government administration.
He assured that the committee will thoroughly evaluate all stakeholder suggestions and public opinions to ensure the bill’s passage is merit-based
