Kunle Awosiyan
A coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of Lagos People’s Assembly has warned the state house of Assembly against a new bill, “Local Administration Bill” being sponsored by the lawmakers.
The group said that the bill could destroy the legacy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who created the Local Council Development Areas when he was the state governor over a decade ago.
The group stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly to protest against the bill, adding that it would not allow a group of people in the assembly to rubbish Tinubu’s legacy, nor take over the power of the people at the grassroots level.
The co-convener, Kola Abe, who spoke on behalf of the group, said it’s unbecoming that the House will usurp the role of local council by suspending a local government chairman and also planning to convert LCDA to administrative centres of the 20 local government areas.
(Shina Loremikan)
According to the group, the struggle of local government started 21 years ago. “You will recall that our pathfinder, President Bola Tinubu, started this struggle for more local government. We also heard that the Lagos Assembly is planning to merge the LCDAs and reduce everything to 20.
“If God has given our leader an initiative to do this years ago, why is Lagos Assembly trying to destroy the legacy of our leader?
Also, speaking, Comrade Sĥina Loremikan of Campaign Against Impunity said the group has submitted its position that the House should not tamper with the local governments nor pass any motion or resolution that will undermine it.
He added: “The CSTD is one of the only gatherings of revolutionary parties and groups that truly believe in the ideals of governance from below.
“We are the only formation where you can find groups that believe that governance must be responsible to all the people, from streets to towns, and to all levels.
“We stand against any attempts to stifle the local governments administratively and financially. We also stand for administrative and financial transparency at the local councils. We all must rally together to defend the democratic ideals and the advantages in the July 11th Supreme Court judgement asserting the autonomy of the local governments.
Responding , Hon Lukman Olumoh, representing Ajeromi Ifelodun 1, who spoke on behalf of the Speaker, assured the protesters that the House will not do anything against the will of the people.
While admitting the gains of the LCDAs over the years, he said it’s the creation of the Assembly, adding that it won’t do anything that will reverse the gains.
It will be recalled that the apex court in a landmark ruling has given the local governments in Nigeria financial autonomy to free the council areas from the stranglehold of governors which had hitherto tied them to their apron strings in the guise of Joint Account.some Civil Society Organisations have kicked against plan by the Lagos State House of Assembly to make the “Local Government Administration Law”that will address the existence of Local Council Development Areas in the state.
Also another group, the Civil Society for Total Democracy, CSTD, accuses Lagos Assembly of undermining local government autonomy.
At a press conference by the group convener, Opeyemi Ogunlami, CSTD stated that by the assembly plan to make a LG administration law, the lawmakers will be thwarting the ruling of the apex court, thereby, obstructing the the provisions of the law.
Calling on the state’s National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, to rise and defend the autonomy judgement, Ogunlami urged local government administrations in the state to rise and take charge of politics and finances in their communities.
“Enough is enough of those days when the local government is a tool of fund swindling and money laundering by the state government and such cabals who deprive the people of democratic participation at the local levels.
“The Supreme Court judgement is a victory for the people to assert governance from below, and this must never be arm-twisted by any forces, whether it is the state government or the state House of Assembly.”
“The Lagos State people should start preparing to vote in new parties that truly understand and are committed to political participation and democracy at the grassroots,” he said.
However, the Lagos State House of Assembly has debunked any plan to convert LCDA to administrative centres of the 20 local government areas.
During a public hearing on the new bill, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said that the LCDA has come to stay but that the assembly is making moves with the National Assembly for the formal listing of the Local Council Development Areas as substantive Local Government Areas.
There are 37 LCDAs created by the former state governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is presently the president of the country.
However, the federal constitution and the recent supreme court judgment have only recognised only the 20 local government areas under the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
Obasa said contrary to the argument from some quarters that the assembly is planning to scrap the LCDAs, there is nothing of such but rather the lawmakers are lobbying the NASS through their federal lawmakers counterparts to list the LCDAs.
Obasa who was represented by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, said “There is a need to work for the formal listing of the LCDAs by the National Assembly. So a review of the revenue sharing formula by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission is very necessary.
Earlier at the floor of the house, the House Committee on Local Government, had called for a liaison and better collaboration with the National Assembly with the aim of making the upper legislature understand why the LDCAs should be listed as substantive local government areas.
The legislators also noted that due to the heterogeneous nature of the state and it’s importance to Nigeria, it is imperative to work for the listing of the LCDAs.
(Obasa)
The speaker at the hearing reiterated his commitment to the LCDA, adding “The LCDAs have come to stay and they would remain so by the special grace of God. Nobody is killing the LCDAs. Instead, we have come to say here is the Supreme Court judgement; how do we go about it? I know we all have the interest of this state at heart.
“Did we follow the right part in creating the LCDAs? The answer is ‘yes’. So at this point, it is a call for every Lagosian to rise up and protect the LCDAs by reaching out to all our representatives at the national level.
Our representatives and senators should lobby their colleagues there. We will continue to do our part and we are doing it to ensure that the 37 LCDAs are listed in the constitution,” the Speaker said.