THE Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has stated that the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government financial autonomy is a relief to governors.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja today alongside Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, AbdulRazaq welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision.
He stated that compliance is expected, and their attorneys general have already applied for the enrollment order, which they will scrutinize in detail.
The governor emphasized that governors are pleased with the devolution of power concerning local government autonomy as it eases the financial burden on governors.
He highlighted that the public is often unaware of the significant funds states allocate to support local governments.
AbdulRazaq mentioned that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will convene next Wednesday to reach a consensus on this issue.
He clarified that despite speculations, governors have never mismanaged local government funds and reassured that the autonomy granted will not negatively impact the states.
The NGF leader believes that granting autonomy to local governments will allow them to manage their affairs more effectively.
Furthermore, Governor AbdulRazaq addressed the recent meeting between President Bola Tinubu and labour leaders regarding the new minimum wage.
He noted that following the submission of the tripartite committee’s report, the adjustment of figures is within the president’s jurisdiction.
He highlighted that the president will present the revised figures to the National Assembly for thorough discussion before implementation.
The governor’s remarks followed the Supreme Court’s ruling that funds allocated for local government councils should be directly disbursed to them.
The Supreme court’s judgment yesterday deemed it unlawful for state governments to control local council funds, putting an end to the prolonged battle for local government financial autonomy.
This decision has garnered widespread commendation from various stakeholders, including President Tinubu, governors, political figures, and legislators.
