Felix Otaru, Lokoja
Local Government elected officials across Kogi State have been called upon to adequately equip themselves with the right framework to boost development in their area.
Kogi State Auditor General for Local Government, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege made the call at a three day induction course for elected Local Government Officials as well as Finance and Administrative Staff in Lokoja.
The induction exercise was organized by the office of the Auditor General for Local Government in collaboration with the twenty one Local Government Councils of Kogi State with the theme “Emerging Challenges and Benefits of Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria”.
Adabenege who noted that the exercise has become necessary in order to equip elected Local Government Officials as well as Finance and Administrative staff of their roles, said the third tier of government has enjoyed autonomy since the last administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
The Guest Speaker who is a Senior Research Fellow with National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, National Assembly Abuja, Doctor Samuel Oguche x-rayed the dynamics of Local Government Autonomy amidst its challenges and benefits.
He noted that Local Government is the closest and most important tier of government which explains the reason it is captured in the first schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended).
Doctor Oguche explained that autonomy implies independent operations and decision making without external interference however said it is the prerogative of the State Government through the House of Assembly to play supervisory roles.
According to him, Local Government Autonomy will bring about improved service delivery, enhance grassroot development, strengthen democratic governance, reduce bureaucratic bottleneck as well as boost economic growth.
He stressed that Local Government Autonomy is paramount if there must be development at the grassroot, describing it as the heart of democracy.
Doctor Oguche added that the Supreme Court had long affirmed Local Government Councils as autonomous with the only challenge being in the operationalization, called for collaboration with state governments to surmount the challenges.
