The Supreme Court has finally granted financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
In a landmark ruling on Thursday that the apex court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated to local governments in the country under a “dubious practice” of joint account.
Reading the lead judgement, Justice Emmanuel Agim, ruled that local government should manage their funds by themselves.
Justice Emmanuel Agim, ruled that no State House of Assembly has the power to make laws that could, in any manner, interfere with monies meant for the LGAs.
He Stressed that the law mandated that LGAs must be governed by democratically elected officials.
Part of the judgement reads:
“Demands of justice require a progressive interpretation of the law. It is the position of this court that the federation can pay LGA allocations to the LGAs directly or pay them through the states.
“In this case, since paying them through states has not worked, justice of this case demands that LGA allocations from the federation account should henceforth be paid directly to the LGAs.”