Professor Calls For Partial Autonomy For LGs

Ugwu’s call came just as the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), South East chapter, protested that political autonomy be granted all 774 LGAs in the country.

According to the professor, “granting a good measure of fiscal autonomy to local governments will enable them carry out the task of rural development effectively.”

The former Chairman of Isi-Uzo local government council in Enugu state further argued that most LGAs would have gone into extinction if not for Federal Government allocations.

In his 25th Inaugural lecture at ESUT themed “Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria: Isuues and constraits,”‎ Professor Ugwu said that LGAs ought to have unrestricted access to statutory allocations from the federation account.

“Local governments are merely administrative units and centres for development. In other words, the issue of whether local government should be autonomus should rather be located within the context of local governments’ relationships with state.

“It would be fatal to local governments if they have autonomy without meriting it. What the local government need‎s are devolution of powers and relative autonomy. This can be addressed through constitional amendments as in progress in the National Assembly,” Ugwu recommended.

Professor Ugwu added that a Joint Account Committee, JAC,‎ should be made up of local government chairmen only with strict oversight functions by the Audit and Inspectorate units established by the constitution for LGAs.