August 21, 2024 – The Federal Government has officially launched a 10-member inter-ministerial committee tasked with enforcing the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy in Nigeria.
On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court granted autonomy to local governments across the nation. A seven-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Emmanuel Agim, ruled that all 774 local government councils in Nigeria should have the authority to manage their own funds.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Federal Government has formed this committee to implement the court’s judgment.
“The Secretary to the Government of the Federation has inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgment delivered on July 11, 2024, granting financial autonomy to Local Governments in Nigeria,” Imohiosen stated.
The committee will be chaired by SGF George Akume. Key members include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation. Additional members are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, along with representatives from state governors and local governments.
The primary objective of this committee is to ensure that local governments across Nigeria enjoy full autonomy, allowing them to operate independently without interference from state governments. This initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to upholding the Constitution, which recognizes local governments as the third tier of government in the country.
