Decrying Abuse of LG By State Government In Nigeria

Decrying Abuse of LG By State Government In Nigeria

Decrying Abuse of LG By State Government In Nigeria

 

There’s serious abuse of local government function and independence in Nigeria. It is the third tier of government and not an arm of the state government but unfortunately, it is treated as the later.

 

There’re some primitive trends that need to change. For instance, heads of the other two tiers of government (Federal and State) are sworn-in by a Judge which means that only the court can remove them. In the case of local governments, State Governors are the ones who swear them in.



The control and rascality by Governors towards elected council executives is imbibe from when they swear council bosses in. This is why state Governors like we see in Rivers and other parts of the country can wakeup any day and suspend elected local government Chairmen and nothing will happen.

 

Similarly, Governors work and relate directly with President who doesn’t interfere in their activities or governance but local governments Chairmen are made to be answerable to Commissioners.

 

Isn’t it an absolute absurdity for elected Local Government Chairmen to be reporting to Commissioners? Why should Commissioners act as “Bosses” to LG Chairmen?



Why should Commissioners for local government affairs oversee the activities of elected local governments executives when the law empower counselors to do so? President don’t usurp the powers of the State assembly to oversee the activities of Governors. Why should Commissioners do?

 

This trend has been going on across the country since the return of the third tier of government in December 5, 1998 and it appears Nigerians have accepted it as a norm.



Mayors who are equivalent to local government Chairmen in Nigeria are not overseen by Commissioners appointed by Governors nor report to a special state Ministry in countries we borrowed our democracy from.

 

A little internet surfing to know if this is obtainable in other climes has not provided any useful information that suggests so.

 

So, why Nigeria?

 

Shouldn’t the federal government also establish Ministry of State Affairs with a Minister that can oversee the activities of Governors? If making Chairmen report to Commisioners is good, shouldn’t the federal government make Governors report to a Minister?

 

Seriously, something is wrong with this system. Local government is supposed to be an independent and separate tier of government. If the trend doesn’t change then the federal government too should create Ministry of State Affairs to oversee the 36 states of the federation.



Alternatively, elected local government Chairmen in Nigeria can to come together to correct this ugly anomaly. Their loyalty should be to the people and by extension Governors of their states not Commissioners even though they’re appointed by Governors. They should insist to work directly with Governors just as Governors work directly with the President.

 

Local government is the most important tier of government among the three tiers because it’s the closest to the people but unfortunately it is the most maltreated. This development has to stop if Nigeria wants to overcome the claws of underdevelopment.

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