By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
To avert the pending social disaster
due to rising insecurity, unemployment and poverty, which
is at the verge of happening, there is the need to stimulate rural economies to enable inclusive development and growth through strengthening local government systems, by way of granting local governments financial and administrative autonomy.
Co-chair Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KAD-LGAM), Yusuf Ishaku Goje pushed out the advocacy ask, while speaking on day two of the Engagement On The Review Of The LocaL Government Accountability Mechanism Strategic Plan And Work-plan, held in Kaduna on Monday September 12, 2022.
According to him, the key amendments to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria being sought are:
“- Make the local government a tier of government to create standard tenure for local government
administrators;
▪ abolish use of Caretaker Committees and JAAC; create direct allocation;
– make special provision for joint payment of teaching and non-teaching staff of the Universal
Basic Education by the Federal, States and Local governments
– The payments shall be first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal and
State governments and in the case of a Local Government, from its allocation from the Federal
Account.”
He explained that if these amendments are put in place, it would translate to better security, economy, healthcare and education.
Partnership To Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) supported LGAM to facilitate the two-day engagement for the review of the strategic plan and work plan development for the Local Government Accountability Mechanism.
