Tag: LGAs

Katsina: 5 LGAs reach peace agreement with bandits

Aminu Imam
Katsina peace agreement

In a renewed move to restore peace and security in troubled areas of Katsina State, 5 local government councils – Malumfashi, Bakori, Funtua, ƘanÆ™ara, and Ƙafur – have entered into a peace agreement with bandits operating within their territories. The peace meeting, which took place yesterday, in Kakumi town, Bakori local government area, brought together traditional leaders, security representatives, community heads, and key officials from the affected councils. The dialogue was aimed at halting recurring attacks, kidnappings, and cattle-rustling which have disrupted the livelihoods of residents for years. According to…

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H’Reps pass Bill to increase Lagos LGAs from 20 to 57

Aminu Imam
H'Reps pass Bill

The 10th House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking to recognise the 37 development area councils in Lagos as full-fledged local government areas, (LGAs). If signed into law, the Bill will raise the number of LGAs in Lagos from 20 to 57. The legislation, titled: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas’, was among 42 Constitution amendment Bills passed by the lower…

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Autonomy: ‘LGAs to receive direct federal allocations from January’ – Presidency

Aminu Imam
Presidency on LGAs3

The Presidency says local government councils will from January 2025, start receiving their allocations directly from the Federal Allocation Account Committee, (FAAC), marking a significant step towards local government autonomy. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, who made this disclosure during an interview on a television programme on Thursday night, noted that President Bola Tinubu is committed to implementing the Supreme Court’s landmark July 2024 judgment, which declared state control over local government funds unconstitutional. Recall that the apex court had, in a unanimous…

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“LGA bosses who misuse Council funds risk jail term” – Justice Minister, Fagbemi

Aminu Imam
Justice Minister, Fagbemi

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, says chairpersons who tamper with the local government councils’ (LGAs) funds would be prosecuted. Fagbemi stated this in Abuja on Thursday, at the 2024 annual conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents, while delivering a paper titled: ‘Aftermath of supreme court judgment on local government financial Autonomy: What next?’ The AGF said the Supreme Court judgment on LGA autonomy was meant to equip the councils to carry out their responsibilities effectively. He said any debt incurred by the…

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Autonomy: FG, Governors, LG chairs sign implementation agreement

Aminu Imam
FG, Governors, LGAs

The Committee on Local Government Autonomy, set up by the Federal Government, has concluded its meetings and signed the technical document, which is expected to be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu soon. The National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE), Hakeem Ambali, made this known in an interview on Tuesday. Recall that in May, the Federal Government, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, filed a lawsuit to challenge the governors’ authority to receive and withhold federal allocations meant…

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Rivers: Gov. Fubara directs all 23 LGA chairmen to contest under APP

Aminu Imam
Fubara Rivers

Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed all 23 local government chairmen in the state to contest the forthcoming local government elections under the banner of the All People’s Party, (APP). The decision comes in the wake of Governor Fubara losing control of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) structure in Rivers State to former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The local government elections are scheduled for October 5, 2024. Wike has maintained significant control over the PDP structure in the state, causing friction between…

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LG Autonomy: ICPC threatens defaulting States, Govt. officials

Aminu Imam
ICPC on LG autonomy

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, has issued a stern warning that the commission will not hesitate to take action against any official or individual who defies the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy. Recall that on July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment affirming the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Councils. The 7-member panel, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, unanimously upheld a suit brought by the federal government aimed at reinforcing the independence…

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Federal, States, LGs shared ?10tr in 2023 – NEITI

Aminu Imam

The three tiers of government – the federal, State and local government councils shared the total sum of ?10.1tn from the Federation Account as statutory revenue allocations in 2023. Contained in the latest report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) on the Federation Account revenue allocations for the year 2023, its Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya, who announced the release of the report at the NEITI House in Abuja, said a breakdown of the revenue receipts showed that the Federal Government received about ?4trn, representing about 39 per…

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Security Votes: Governors, LGA Chairs to stop using cash from May 29

Aminu Imam

State governors and local government chairmen across the country would have to be more accountable for how they spend their security votes as the Federal Government has banned them from withdrawing the funds from May 29. Over the years, the agitations against security votes have been gaining ground in public squares. Many think that the essence of the funds is not well spelled out while others have been urging for the release of the funds to be halted since the governors and local government chairmen can’t account for it. In…

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