The above heading of this piece is borrowed from a book authored by the Incumbent Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, which was published first in 2006 by Spectrum books limited. In the said book: Democracy and Local Government Administration in Nigeria, Dr. Ganduje had aptly espoused all the challenges facing Local Government Administration in Nigeria, just as the title of the book suggests.
However, it is no longer news that since the return of democracy in 1999, Local Government Administration across the Federation is been shrouded by certain unforeseen circumstance, as a result of the interference of State Chief Executives against the smooth running of the operations of Local Government Councils in almost all the Local Government Authorities in the country.
Although, the Nigeria Constitution is explicit regarding the towers, limitations and autonomy of the third tier of government; however, the same Constitution has also, provided ample leeway which State Chief Executives deployed to strangle the financial autonomy of Local Government Officials, in the monstrous name called “Joint Account” under the guise of this joint account, where Local Government allocation is remitted directly through the coordination of State Governors for onward transmission of the funds to the various Local Government Councils.
In the prevailing circumstances this has provided, unfortunately, the leeway for most State Chief Executives to plunder with the resources of the local authorities under the guise of pre-determined flimsy deductions and misappropriation of Local Government funds. Unfortunately, what goes to the Local Government Councils at the end can not fund any critical social amenity at the grassroot level apart from payment of workers wages.
This being so, in the book; Democracy and Local Government Administration in Nigeria; Governor Ganduje had enumerated the good intentions of those who initiated and spearheaded local government reforms in Nigeria. Beginning from the late Ibrahim Dasuki (former Sultan of Sokoto) led commission’s recommendations to Gen. Obasanjo enacted reforms of 1976 down to General Ibrahim Babangida’s Local Government reforms during his days as Nigeria’s Military President.
However, it is evidently clear that from the Dasuki recommendation up to the Babangida’s Local Government reforms, the issues of financial autonomy is well articulated and defined, irrespective of the contradiction of the 1979 Constitution, in respect to the pronouncement of joint account between the states and the local authorities.
In almost all the States of the Federation, there exist ministries of chieftaincy and Local Government affairs; of course, it is not a bad idea if these ministries are existing for the purpose of transparent coordination and supervision of the good of the entire citizens. However, the reverse is the case in virtually all the ministries dealing with the Local Government Authorities; as Independent Investigation and research have shown almost all the Local Government chairmen are complaining of unnecessary undue deductions carried out by state chief executives on a monthly basis.
Regrettably too, as a result, Local Government Administration in most States of the Federation has become synonymous to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of State Governments operating under the dictates of state chief executives. Rather than operating as an independent arm of Government for the benefit of the great majority who are expecting a democratic dividend in terms of people’s oriented projects, programmes and policies to better their lives; the Local Authorities have become glorified state owned agencies.
In the prevailing circumstances permit me to make a clarion call to the National Assembly as an institution and more importantly to president Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of necessity and urgently too ensure the strict adherence of local government fiscal autonomy in all the states of the federation, as this is the only surest means where significant socio-economic development could be spread across the country. At this point, it will not be out of place to highlight some of the exemplary leadership qualities of Governor Ganduje of Kano State in this regard.
Since assuming as the State Chief Executive, Governor Ganduje did not even for once dictate or give orders for any unnecessary deductions to be effected or misappropriated the resources of any of the 44 LGCs in Kano State. Little wonder various developmental projects are continually springing up across all the 44 LGAs, while the workers receive their salaries constantly on the 25th of every month.
Ganduje’s passion for the welfare of the downtrodden is never in doubt, going by the numerous projects, programmers and policies he has been initiating during the last six years. Needless to start enumerating the list of people’s oriented programmes, projects and policies executed by the Ganduje administration, which include financial autonomy to the 44 LGAs. However, the following abridged version of Ganduje’s People’s Oriented Programmes would suffice.
For instance, Kano State remains the only State in the federation which the poor enjoys free and compulsory basic and secondary education, including free lunch to all the over 1.5 million students; free medical treatment to all indigent families; construction of over 10,000 housing units across the state for the benefit of the poor and vulnerable in the State; ensuring the empowerment of 1.3 million youths who are actively engaged in one trade or vacation earning decent living. This has also discouraged criminality amongst the youths; making Kano State the most peaceful and banditry free zone in northern Nigeria. Also, Kano State is at present the only State which has functional and effective Almajiri Integrated School System which has obviously discouraged the rate of out of school children and the menace of street begging among children of school age, particularly in Kano State. Similarly, due to the diligent and frugal application of available resources, Kano State is one, if not the only economically viable State in Northern Nigeria today.
Also, to mitigate the frequent cases of farmers-headers conflicts, Kano State as at today, remains the only Northern State that has functional and quality Ruga settlement otherwise known as ranching colony spread across many communities and forest reserves of the state. At the risk of time and space, I rest my case.
*** Mohammed Isa Bilal writes from Jos, Plateau State. +2348167989085
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