The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has called for full autonomy for Local Government Councils (LGCs) in Nigeria, asserting that such a move will alleviate poverty and curb the increasing trend of rural-urban migration. This comes as the commission supports legal initiatives by the federal government to free LGCs from state government control, thereby enforcing constitutional provisions.
RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu, in a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja, emphasized that local government councils, as the third tier of government, must operate independently of state and federal governments to ensure effective grassroots governance.
On May 26, the Federal Government filed a lawsuit against the governors of Nigeria’s 36 states at the Supreme Court, accusing them of misconduct in the administration of Local Government Areas. The suit, initiated by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, seeks full autonomy for all local government areas in the country.
The legal action requests the court to prohibit state governors from unilaterally dissolving democratically elected local government leaders. In another related suit, the government aims to stop state governors from appointing caretaker committees to manage local governments.
Supporting this motion, Shehu pointed out that the Nigerian Constitution acknowledges federal, state, and local governments as distinct tiers, each entitled to funds from the Federation Account. He criticized the dominance of state governments over LGCs, which undermines their political, administrative, and financial independence. This control, he argued, hampers LGCs’ ability to provide quality infrastructure and social services, and impedes citizens’ ability to elect local leaders, thus affecting governance at the grassroots level.
Shehu stated, “Granting full autonomy to LGCs will reduce poverty, curb rural-urban migration, and deliver more democratic benefits to the populace. It will also attract qualified candidates for council elections, improving governance across all levels. Full autonomy will promote good governance, transparency, and accountability at the local level.”
He also linked the autonomy of LGCs to enhancing security, suggesting that directing local government funds towards rural development could help mitigate security challenges such as banditry, kidnappings, terrorism, and electoral violence.
Emphasizing the need for full bureaucratic autonomy, Shehu highlighted that LGCs should be empowered to recruit and manage staff, raise finances, make bylaws, and carry out their functions without state government interference. He outlined that financial autonomy for local governments includes the freedom to impose local taxes, generate revenue, allocate resources, and determine budgets without external interference.
The chairman noted, “The Constitution has made it clear that there must be a democratically elected local government system in place, and it does not provide for any other governance system at the local government level.”
RMAFC supports the ongoing lawsuit by the Federal Government requesting that statutory allocations from the Federation Account be directly channeled to LGCs. Shehu concluded by calling on civil society organizations and the media to lead efforts to ensure that local government autonomy becomes a reality in Nigeria.
He reiterated that RMAFC will remain a strategic partner in repositioning local government councils to effectively discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
