Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Wednesday reiterated his administration’s commitment to local government autonomy, emphasising its importance in driving grassroots development and good governance.
Speaking at the Gombe State Local Government Summit, Yahaya stated, “Let me state unequivocally that my administration supports local government autonomy. We are determined to work with our local governments in order to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership between the state and local governments.”
Yahaya acknowledged the challenges faced by local governments, including financial dependence, administrative inefficiencies, and systemic corruption. However, he expressed optimism that with autonomy, local governments can harness their human and natural resource potentials to deliver sustainable progress to their constituents.
He further highlighted his administration’s efforts to strengthen local government administration, including the establishment of the Joint Projects Development Agency to ensure partnership and collaboration in project development.
He also harped the importance of financial independence for local governments, stating, “Only through financial independence can we create a state and LGAs that can harness their potentials, take advantage of opportunities, address challenges, and deliver sustainable prosperity to their constituents.”
The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to local government autonomy and federalism, and expressed his administration’s willingness to work with the federal government to achieve this goal, stating, “We must keep pace with emerging trends. We must look inwards and make our administrative entities – both at the state and local levels – financially viable.”
On his part, Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Ola Olukoyede, urged the 11 LGA bosses to develop capacities in order to develop the dividends of democracy.
Olukoyede said, “This is unlikely to change except there is a deliberate conscious decision to embrace a renewed ethos of accountability and financial integrity. I’m happy to hear that even before the judgement of Supreme Court, His Excellency has been practicing financial autonomy for the local government with more funding it’s expected of LG chairmen to on your own develop your capacity.”
Continuing the EFCC boss added, “Capacity to manage resources, capacity to implement developmental projects even though, you may have financial autonomy, but you don’t have constitutional immunity so the application of your resources will be strictly monitored not only by anti graft agencies even by the state government. It will be to the credit of the state government if he ensures resources going to LGAs for development projects is responsibly applied and executed.”
Also speaking, Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, urged for strengthening of legal and institutional frameworks to enhance financial autonomy, legal reforms.
Aliyu further harped on the importance of technology for open governance, e-governance platforms, open data.
“There is need to promote citizen engagement participatory budgeting, social audits.Capacity-building and ethical leadership for training, merit-based recruitment,” he added.
The Secretary to Government of the Federation George Akume, who was represented by Permanent Secretary Political Nadoga Gagara, lauded the local government chairmen for the summit saying it would yield the desire development.
