The Federal Government has inaugurated a 10-member inter-ministerial committee to enforce the recent Supreme Court ruling that granted financial autonomy to local governments across the country.

This follows the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on July 11, declaring it unconstitutional for state governors to withhold funds meant for local government administrations.

The ruling was seen as a critical step towards ensuring the financial independence of local governments, which are recognised as the third tier of government by the Nigerian Constitution.

Five weeks after the ruling, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has set up a high-level committee to implement the verdict. The committee, which Akume will chair, was inaugurated on Tuesday, according to a statement released by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the SGF, Segun Imohiosen.

The committee comprises key government officials, including 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.

Other members include the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, as well as representatives of state governors and local governments.

According to the statement, “The committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, allowing them to function effectively without interference from state governments.”

This development aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s broader efforts to uphold the constitutional provisions recognising local governments as an essential tier of governance in Nigeria.

The move is expected to enhance the capacity of local governments to deliver services more effectively to their communities, free from the financial constraints previously imposed by state governments.

The establishment of this committee marks a significant step towards the practical implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling, signaling the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening local governance and promoting transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.

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Interestingly, no fewer than thirteen former governors and seven former ministers facing corruption trials, were among the 50 men and women accommodated in the travel ban list under Executive Order No. 6 issued by Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

This restriction enjoyed the judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the order

The watch-list and restriction were put in place pending the conclusion of the cases against those affected.

The ex- governors barred from leaving the country are: Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); and Ibrahim Shehu Shema (Katsina). The affected governors belong to both APC and PDP.

Also on the list, is the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd),

Two female former ministers , Nenadi Usman and Jumoke Akinjide along with Bashir Yuguda, Bala Mohammed; Abba Moro; Femi Fani-Kayode; and Ahmadu Fintiri, also made the list.

The list also had, a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; ex- Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral A. D. Jibrin; a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar; a former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero; and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Chairman Emeritus of AIT/ Raypower, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Waripamowei Dudafa (a former Special Assistant (Domestic) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan); a former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike; a former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia;

The list further include, a former National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh; Chief Jide Omokore; Ricky Tarfa; and Dele Belgore (SAN).

Most of the affected Nigerians are currently facing trial for alleged corrupt practices in different courts.

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Three years into the Buhari’s administration, people have reasons to groan. There is widespread poverty every where. Though, the statistics released by the government made us to believe that the economic growth is back and consolidating. Yet, there are clear indications that people are suffering seriously.

The unfortunate reality is that the claim by the government that inflation has fallen for the fifteenth (15) consecutive months from 18.7 percent in January 2017 to 12.5 percent as of April 2018 had not really had direct positive impacts on the citizens and purchasing power of Nigeria’s currency.

The story of our nation is that of a country practising democracy without genuine democrats. Across the country, we have governors without democratic credentials. These greedy and selfish governors are still owing workers despite the fact that Buhari’s admistration had extended more than 1.9 trillion naira to State governments to enable them meet their salary and pension obligations especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues over the last two years.

It is disheartening that the federal government had not succeeded in suppressing the menace of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen completely despite the military campaign and international support so far mobilized. However, the commitment of the present government to halt the menace cannot be underestimated.

In terms of education financing, the government has not in my view scored a pass mark. When one evaluates the quality of Nigeria’s education system, it is abysmally low. The prevailing situation across the country is that most institutions including public and private ones lack the quality personnel and facilities for effective teaching, research and community services. Worse still, factors of dissatisfies such as irregular payment of salaries and allowances of workers, arbitrary delay in giving promotion to deserving workers and lack of opportunity for training and development have made many of the Universities and Polytechnics staff to be unproductive and inefficient.

By measure of Nigeria performance in international relations, the efforts of President Muhammed Buhari in this respect are worthy of commendation particularly with bilateral agreements signed with China, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Morocco, Switzerland and United Arab Emirate (UAE). Yet, the average Nigerians are still striving to feel the direct positive impacts of all these bilateral agreements.

One other cause of dilemma as the nation’s democracy grows is the issue of local government autonomy. In the present democracy, local governments are mere appendage of the states. It can no longer be regarded as a third tier of government. The Buhari’s administration will do the country good, if the local government can be made to be autonomous through constitutional and legislative processes.

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Despite the earlier pointed dilemmas, it will be unjust not to commend the present administration effort in fighting the war against corruption. The way the government has been handling it’s whistle blowing policy gives hope for a better future for the country. By extension, the fiscal reforms and plugging leackages in government finances are part of areas where Buhari’s admistration had succeeded.

Again, executive recklessness and excesses continue to jeopardise the practice of democracy in the country as observed through the conducts of most of the state governors. With the enthronment and sustainability of democratic norms, principles and institutions in our country , the good people of Nigeria ought to have began reaping the fruits of democracy. Also, the governors of states have become overlords such that most of them now control the state Assemblies of their respective states. It will be difficult for any state to experience good governance where governors would not allow the state assemblies perform their legislative functions without interference. Most of the states House of Assemblies are toothless bull dogs. The National Assembly that ought to offer a sort of solace are also operating as enemies of democracy. The current National Assembly are dominated by brigandages.

In the present order, most members of the National Assembly give preference to oversight functions at the detriment of primary legislative responsibilities. This is a country where legislators feel the only measure of their performance is through empowerment projects. Obviously, the so called empowerment programmes are nothing but ruse. Until when true democrats in terms of ideological inclination and practices are encouraged to venture into politics, our lamentation will continue. Except we also allow people with sound minds and ideologically inclined enjoy the opportunities to occupy elective positions, people will continue to groan and our democracy will remain in a state of dilemma.

Rahaman Onike
An author and public administrator,
writes from Oyo, Oyo State.

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The Governors – Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day quarterly meeting held at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, also ratified a document allowing Lagos to acquire land in their respective states for massive rice cultivation and production.

Specifically, all the Governors resolved to embark on a Rice Accelerated Program for Integrated Development (Western RAPID) to further consolidate actions on food security and job creation in the region, while a Regional Agriculture Summit to be sponsored by Lagos State, was agreed to be held in Ibadan in May 2018.

The forum, which is being coordinated through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, also signified interest in the concession of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Reading the communiqué to journalists, Director General of DAWN Commission, Mr Oluseye Oyeleye said: “The States of the Region as a bloc will be monitoring the process for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Concession into a world class infrastructure.”

He said the Governors also resolved that DAWN Commission, Focal Representatives and Agriculture Commissioners of the region would hold a technical session with Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and develop a state by state roadmap in four weeks before the Regional Agriculture Summit scheduled for May 2018.

It was also agreed that DAWN Commission should work on reviving Regional Inter-School Football Competition, and as well conduct a study on the successes in Education in Ekiti State for peer learning/adoption among the Western Nigeria states.

Also, the Governors directed the DAWN Commission and the Focal representatives to structure a programme on the Omoluabi Ethos of the Yoruba people.

However, Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, who represented Governor Amosu, raised some reservations about the land deal, saying that the State Government on account of previous issues with Lagos on the similar subject matter would be refraining from releasing land to the State until the said issues were resolved.

Nonetheless, Onanuga said: “We will be prepared to sign this memorandum later when some of these issues are straightened out.”

When asked by journalists on way out of the issues raised by Ogun State, Governor Ambode said he was optimistic that all the States would join in the effort to ensure food security and create jobs for the people.

He said: “What has happened is that we wanted to expand the agric output of our rice mill and in doing so, we decided that all the south west States should be able to cultivate rice and supply paddy to the proposed rice mill that is coming up in Imota in Lagos.

“So, what we have done is that four other States have agreed to sign the Memorandum of Understanding which they have actually done today and so what is happening between Lagos and Ogun is that there were some minor issues that were outstanding before and based on that they could not sign today but you could also hear that they are committed to signing when those issues are resolved.

“We are having a 32-ton per hour rice mill in Imota and we are going to require 32,000 hectares of paddy cultivation which even the whole of the south west cannot even provide but because we are interested in integration and also independence, it is important that beyond going to Kebbi or Kano, all the south western states should also benefit from it and the idea is that we are trying to procure land there but we will also use the people and the farmers in the respective states to cultivate the land and by so doing we have created employment in those States and we will be off-takers to the paddies that they are producing and so I am able to buy it and also use it for my own rice mill and then sell it in Lagos and so I create employment across the region and at the same time put money into the pocket of our people,” Governor Ambode said.

Earlier, Governor Aregbesola described the incorporation of Lagos State into the economic framework of the south west region as historic and long coming since 1948, adding that the development would strengthen the O’dua Investment Group and drive the development of the region.

SIGNED

HABIB ARUNA

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

MARCH 28, 2018

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Ekweremadu made the call in Nsukka on Friday at the 3rd Adada Lecture, organised by the Association of Nsukka Professors. The lecture was themed ‘Restructuring and the Nigerian Youth.’

Ekweremadu noted that countries in South America used single tenure to stabilise their democracy, adding that one of such countries, Mexico, was still practising single term for the office of the President.

In his words, “single presidency tenure of six years that rotates among the six geopolitical regions would promote unity and loyalty to the nation.”

The lawmaker further emphasized the need to restructure the county to enable regions to harness their resources outside oil.

“The market for crude oil is reducing by the day as countries like Britain and France now have laws that will ban the use of diesel and petrol cars by 2040. Also, many countries have started using electric cars.”

While urging youths in the country to close ranks and support restructuring as it would create employment and guarantee a better future for them, Ekweremadu explained that restructuring would not divide the country as being feared by some people, but would rather strengthen the nation.

He identified ethnic and religious sentiments, ignorance and fear of the unknown as some of the factors preventing some people from accepting restructuring.

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Also in attendance are Southwest leaders in National Assembly: Sen. Sola Adeyeye, Hon. Lasun Sanusi and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

They are joined by the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu; his Solid Minerals counterpart, Kayode Fayemi; former Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Chief Pius Akinyelure; former governors of Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun states, chiefs Segun Osoba, Adebayo Alao-Akala, Niyi Adebayo and Prince Olagunaoye Oyinlola respectively.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ministers of Finance Mrs Kemi Adeosun and her Works, Power and Housing counterpart, Raji Fashola (SAN) were said to be absent with apology.

Amosun excused himself from the meeting at 4:25 pm to attend to other important engagements.

Welcoming participants, host governor, Abiola Ajimobi, explained that the meeting was aimed at reviewing the performance of the APC since it won federal as state elections two years ago to determine what can be done differently..

He added that the coming elections in Ekiti and Osun states require a good attention of APC leaders in Southwest to ensure the party is well prepared for the polls.

Ajimobi also pointed out the need to work together in building a vibrant region by exploring areas of cooperation and developing agriculture for the good of the people.

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They are Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state; Abdullahi Ganduje, his Kano counterpart and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto.

The briefing took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tambuwal’s media aide, Imam Imam, posted image of the leaders on his Facebook page.

It is understood that the meeting centered on national issues, including the security situation in the three states.

Buhari has since left for the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Spokesman of the president, Femi Adesina, said his principal would transit through London on his way back to the country.

However, Buhari ​was said to have issued a matching order to the Nigeri​an military ​to weaken Nnamdi Kanu and his group, the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) before he returns from the trip.

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Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja when he met with all the state governors, the President said he was pleased with the work they had done so far to improve the welfare of their various states.

Buhari, who said the governors have being “doing their best,” noted that it is “proving to be good enough in agriculture and solid minerals.”

The President, who had earlier met with leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, said, “I have just addressed members of APC and PDP senior officials that came to welcome me back. I thank you very much for the national approach in your leadership, those who are leaders at political level and those who are chief executives in their respective states.

“I had so much time to watch television NTA 24, I heard so much information about the states. I am very pleased with the states, you are all doing your best and you are lucky your best is proving to be good enough in agriculture and solid minerals. You are succeeding in agriculture because I think people cannot afford foreign food.

“The valuation of the Naira is not our making. It may not favour us but is something we cannot change. Some people were asking me if we should be more strict on the borders but I want to thank God last year and this year is better than what it used to be.”

Buhari also commended his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo for his leadership style while he was in London.

He said, “The efforts by the vice president is commendable. He used his intellect to run all over the place. I was seeing him 24 hours on NTA. I congratulate them and I allowed him to come and see me to thank him personally for what he has done.

“I’m very happy with the national prayers it was well covered and reported, across religions and ethnicity, people were praying. In fact some groups in London came and sang the national anthem and asked that I should go back home, indeed I have come back home.

“I hope those who went there are not stuck there, they will come back and join us, those that are stuck there with the Brexit, I hope they have weighed the implications that it won’t affect them including those that have properties there, those who are not paying tax here, I hope when they sell their property there they will bring some of the money here. We need it very badly here.

“I thank you very much. My morale has been raised greatly by the love shown to me and the security of the country.”

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