Hon. Odunayo Alegbere, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), has disclosed that the Federal Government is yet to commence direct allocation to Local Government Areas (LGAs) due to ongoing procedural processes.
He explained that LGAs have been instructed to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to facilitate the implementation of direct allocation, in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling on financial autonomy. While the process is still underway, he commended the Federal Government for its commitment to ensuring local governments gain full financial independence.
Alegbere assured that direct allocation would empower LGAs, granting them control over their finances and projects, which would, in turn, help eliminate poverty at the grassroots level.
“We have not yet reached our goal, but we are making steady progress,” he stated.
He criticized the current system where state governments conduct local government elections, arguing that it often leads to selections rather than true democratic processes. He called for the removal of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and the establishment of a national electoral body to oversee LGA elections.
Alegbere linked rising insecurity in the country to the weakening of the local government system, stressing that restoring local government autonomy and integrating traditional rulers into governance would significantly improve security.
“Unless we strengthen local governments and involve traditional institutions, addressing insecurity will remain a challenge,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the Federal Government would fully implement the Supreme Court’s ruling and continue working to enhance the local government administration in Nigeria.
