Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has signed the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law, 2024, sparking controversy over local government autonomy. Soludo claims that granting full autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas would lead to “humongous chaos” and hinder sustainable development.
The governor made this statement after signing the bill into law at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, Awka. He argued that absolute autonomy for local government areas is impossible due to the attendant challenges, emphasizing the importance of state oversight as empowered by Section 7 of the constitution.
State Joint Local Government Account_: All federal allocations to local government areas must be deposited into this account.
Percentage Deduction_: Local government areas must remit a state-determined percentage to the consolidated account within two working days of receiving their allocations.
State Control_: If the state receives the local government allocation on their behalf, it must deduct the specified percentage before disbursing the remaining funds.
Soludo explained that the new laws are consequential to the Supreme Court judgment and not intended to undermine it. However, critics argue that this move undermines local government autonomy and may lead to further financial mismanagement ¹.
Reactions to the signing of the bill have been mixed, with some supporting Soludo’s stance and others criticizing the move as an attempt to maintain control over local government funds. As the debate continues, the implications of this law on local government autonomy and development remain to be seen.
