Youth Leaders Hail Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Financial Autonomy

The Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Council Worldwide has praised the Supreme Court’s decision to grant full financial autonomy to local government areas.

The youth leaders, representing the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders, Northern Youth Congress, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Middle-Belt Youth Council, and North-East Youth Assembly, expressed their views in a statement signed by Vice President Comrade Balarabe Rufai and Publicity Secretary Mazi Okwu Nnabuike.

Describing the judgment as a triumph for grassroots development, they called for accountability from governors for funds managed on behalf of local councils over the past 25 years. The youth leaders emphasized that local government areas had been hindered by governors, obstructing grassroots development.

“The framers of the constitution intended local governments to bring development to the people, particularly in areas like health, rural roads, and water,” they stated. “However, in many states, governors have turned LGs into drain pipes, with illegal caretakers doing little except signing off allocations for the governors.”

They welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, which they believe rectifies decades of anomaly and illegality. They urged governors to accept the judgment in good faith and called on the Federal Government to ensure full compliance starting from this month’s allocation.

Additionally, the youth leaders challenged local government chairmen to justify the benefits of the judgment by initiating and completing projects. They also advocated for the National Assembly to amend the constitution, empowering INEC to conduct local government elections in the future.