The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, has praised the Anambra State House of Assembly following the passage of the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law, 2024.
During his appearance on AIT’s Democracy Today program, Ezeokenwa described the new legislation as one of the most progressive and innovative laws in Nigeria, setting a fresh benchmark for local government administration in the country.
Ezeokenwa pointed out that the law aligns with the Supreme Court’s ruling from July 11, which reaffirmed the constitutional role of state assemblies in governing local governments.
He referenced page 42 of the judgment, which clarified that state legislatures have the authority to regulate the existence, structure, finance, and functions of local governments, in accordance with Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He also emphasized that the Supreme Court’s decision on direct allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to local governments did not undermine the legislative powers of state assemblies under Sections 162(8) and 7 of the Constitution.
The APGA Chairman highlighted key provisions of the Anambra Local Government Administration Law, which introduced important reforms to the local government structure.
One of the law’s primary features is the establishment of two key committees: the Consolidated Local Government Joint Account Committee and the Security Trust Fund Committee, as stipulated under Sections 14 and 15. Both committees are composed of all 21 local government chairmen in the state.
The law also creates the office of the Accountant General for Local Governments, tasked with overseeing the joint account, while the state Commissioner for Local Government serves on these committees in a supervisory role but is not a signatory.
Ezeokenwa emphasized that one of the law’s most significant achievements is ensuring the financial autonomy of local governments. According to him, all 21 local government chairmen are co-signatories to the consolidated joint account, and no state government official, including Governor Chukwuma Soludo, has any direct involvement in managing the account.
The state government’s role is limited to contributing its share of the pooled funds, which are then used for local government salaries, pensions, gratuities, and the UBEC counterpart fund, as recommended by the newly created State Economic Planning Board.
In his remarks, Ezeokenwa commended Governor Soludo for his visionary approach to governance and his commitment to transparency. He underscored that the Governor’s role in the new system is strictly to provide the state’s financial contribution to the joint account, with no control over how those funds are administered.
This structure, according to the APGA chairman, is a significant step toward ensuring that local governments operate independently and are not subject to interference from state authorities.
Ezeokenwa called on other states in Nigeria to adopt similar reforms, advocating for greater transparency and accountability in the management of local government funds.
He stressed that such legislative measures are essential to preventing the collapse of the local government system and to ensuring sustainable governance at the grassroots level, which is vital for the overall development of communities across the country.
