26 Months After Judgement, Governors Continue to Strangle LGs, Fuelling Insecurity

Twenty-six months after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of financial autonomy for Nigeria's 774 local government councils, governors are still controlling funds meant for these grassroots institutions. This, according to labour groups and civil society organizations, is weakening service delivery and fuelling insecurity. Despite the landmark judgment, no local government currently receives its allocation directly from the Federation Account, with governors maintaining significant influence over council finances, leadership and elections.

The President-General of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and National Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Aliyu Haruna Kankara, expressed disappointment that the federal government has yet to implement the Supreme Court's decision, which he described as a "law." Kankara emphasized the need for the government to respect the rule of law and grant local governments full autonomy in terms of financial, administrative and political control.