LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY: A Catalyst Drive For Grassroots Development – Engr. Bally
An APC stalwart in Ondo state and APC PCC Secretary for Ondo Central senatorial District in the 2023 general elections, Engr. Ayotunde Bally has thrown his weight behind the full autonomy for the administration of the local government for the effective and efficient running of the third tier of the government.
Engr. Bally alluded that local government autonomy is the best strategy to adopt that can drive the Constitutional provision for productivity and development of the third tier of government.
“Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution as amended is explicit and unambiguous about the constitutionality of the local government administration in Nigeria and the key roles the economic development of the state government.”
“Subsection (1) of Section 7, (1) The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall, subject to section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.”
“The only way we can ensure through the existence of local government administration in Nigeria for establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions as enshrined in the Constitution for grassroots development is through the autonomy of the local government, which Nigerians have been yearning for from time immemorial.”
“For any grassroots development to be achieved in Nigeria, there must be a total actualisation of Schedule V of the 1999 Constitution:
- The main functions of a local government council are as follows:
a. the consideration and the making of recommendations to a State commission on economic planning or any similar body on –
i. the economic development of the State, particularly in so far as the areas of authority of the council and the State are affected, and
ii. proposals made by the said commission or body;
b. collection of rates, radio and television licences;
c. establishment and maintenance of cemeteries, burial grounds and homes for the destitute or infirm;
d. licensing of bicycles, trucks other than mechanically propelled trucks., canoes, wheels barrows and carts;
e. establishment, maintenance and regulation of slaughterhouses, slaughter slabs, markets, motor parks and public conveniences;
f. construction and maintenance of roads, streets, street lightings, drains and other public highways, parks, gardens, open spaces, or such public facilities as may be prescribed from time to time by the House of Assembly of a State;
g. naming of roads and streets and numbering of houses;
h. provision and maintenance of public conveniences, sewage and refuse disposal;
i. registration of all births, deaths and marriages;
j. assessment of privately owned houses or tenements to levy such rates as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of a State; and
k. control and regulation of –
i. out-door advertising and hoarding,
ii. movement and keeping of pets of all descriptions,
iii. shops and kiosks,
iv. restaurants, bakeries and other places for the sale of food to the public,
v. laundries, and
vi. licensing, regulation and control of the sale of liquor. - The functions of a local government council shall include the participation of such council in the Government of a State concerning the following matters –
the provision and maintenance of primary, adult and vocational education;
b. the development of agriculture and natural resources, other than the exploitation of materials
c. the provision and maintenance of health services; and
d. such other functions as may be conferred on a local government council by the House of Assembly of the state
“All these functions are the real indexes for grass-roots development in Nigeria, and the only catalyst to this is through the autonomy of the local government and the 10th Ondo State House of Assembly must champion a course on the actualisation of the local government autonomy in Ondo state”
“It is imperative to grant the full autonomy of the local government before planning to constitute LCDAs, as the only way to make local councils work and bring the dividend of democracy is through autonomy” – Engr. Bally
Sam Olorunfemi Jr
SA to Engr. Ayotunde Bally
(Media and Publicity)
June 5, 2023
