"Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said some state governments in the country are using the joint account to incapacitate and steal local governments’ funds.
Obasanjo also accused the state governments that were opposed to local government autonomy of being responsible for this financial incapacitation of the local governments.
The former President spoke on Monday while playing host to members of a Non-Governmental Organisation, Friends of Democracy, at his residence inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The group had sought the former President’s support for the Local Government Autonomy Bill which had been passed by the National Assembly but still requires the nod of not less than 24 state Houses of Assembly.
According to Obasanjo, the local government reform carried out in 1976 was meant to make the councils as the third tier of government and not an appendage of either of the two tiers of government.
He expressed regret that state governments, which he said were autonomous, had been opposed to the agitation for LGs autonomy.
Obasanjo lamented that the present situation in many local governments in the country was so pathetic that “they can no longer perform their functions particularly payment of their workers’ salaries.” He wondered why the Federal Government continue to allow the states to enjoy their autonomy except during an emergency situation.
Obasanjo, however, asked the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees to demand LG autonomy in the interest of the people at the grassroots.
He said, “When in 1976, we brought in Local Government Reforms, it was meant to be the third tier of the government and not meant to be subjected to the whims and caprices of any other government; just the same way that the state government is autonomous from the Federal Government. Local Government is meant to be autonomous from the state government." With RA
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