LG Autonomy: The Only Route to Rural Development – Mayor Lucky Igbokwe (Don Lulu)
I have been following the attempts by state governors to undermine President Tinubu’s efforts in ensuring that local governments are granted full autonomy. Since the apex court’s pronouncement that granted financial autonomy to local governments, state governors have gone back to their laboratories to research and develop other means to continue to siphon off the resources meant for the development of rural areas. This is why I am calling on the National Assembly to quickly amend the laws to further block the governors’ access to authority and funds of the councils.
Due to my passion and hunger for inclusive development, one of my major campaign points in the lead-up to the 2023 governorship race was the need to strengthen and empower the local government system to serve as the major developmental pillar.
Out of greed and selfishness, governors have resisted the bottom-up approach to governance by fraudulently refusing to conduct local government elections, in flagrant disregard to the provisions of the constitution, all in a bid to siphon and embezzle funds meant for local governments.
In my developmental projections for the 2023 general elections, which were documented in my manifesto, I prioritized the autonomy of the local governments and the need to grant them full management of their finances, the collection of revenues, and allocation of resources without state government interference.
Being in touch with the people, I strongly believe that for us to achieve sustainability in rural development and empowerment, we must have a working local government system that will be free from interference by the governors. A local government administration should partner with community-based organizations to achieve people-oriented development.
In the recent past, relief items sent by the federal government could not reach the rural populace, where the poorest of the poor reside, because there was no local government administration in place. Those entrusted with the items instead of distributing them through community-based organizations or churches diverted them.
For us to achieve an effective and functional local government system, the local governments must be allowed to focus on delivering essential services such as healthcare, education, sanitation, creating jobs, and developing infrastructure for the people without interference from the state governors.
I appeal to the National Assembly to join efforts with President Tinubu and save the local government system by making laws that will guarantee free and fair elections to produce choice leadership for the people. This is the only kind of leadership that can harness and utilize available resources for growth and development at the grassroots level and reduce rural-urban migration.
