Senate passes bill to grant financial autonomy to Local Govt

The Senate and House of Representatives have passed a bill seeking to grant financial autonomy to Local Government Councils (LGC) across the country.

During the plenary on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at the National Assembly, 92 out of the 109 Senators voted in support for the financial autonomy to the LGC in the country, while 88 voted to pass administrative autonomy of LGC.

At the Green Chamber, the House of Representatives members also voted for financial and administrative autonomy for the LGs, State Legislature, and Judiciary.

The lawmakers voted electronically.

Earlier, Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Ovie Omo-Agege, had presented a report on the amendment bill before voting commenced.

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

The legislations 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.

For administrative autonomy, the bill seeks to allow local governments to conduct their own elections.