Lawmakers Pass Financial Autonomy Bill For Local Councils

The Senate and House of Representatives have passed a bill granting full financial and administrative autonomy to local governments.

In the bill, each local government council is mandated to create and maintain its own special account to be tagged Local Government Allocation Account into which all the allocations will be paid.

The bill also seek to amend the Constitution to repeal the state joint local government account and provide for a special account where all allocations due to the local governments councils, from the federation account and state government shall be paid.

The federal lawmakers also mandate each state to pay to local government councils in its area of jurisdiction such proportion of its internally generated revenue on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly.

The bill, for administrative autonomy, seeks to allow local governments to conduct their own elections.

They also voted in favour of financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly and judiciary. During the voting process, the Senate witnessed over 73 votes – the threshold required for such bills to pass.

Voting on all 68 proposed amendments to the Constitution is underway. The legislatures are voting electronically.