August 20, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to Local Governments in the country.
The committee, inaugurated on Tuesday, by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, is primarily mandated to ensure that local governments gain full autonomy, allowing them to function without state government interference.
Members of the Committee include Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Akume, who is the committee’s Chairman; Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Member; Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, Member; Minister of Budget & Economic Planning; Accountant General of the Federation; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Finance); Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation & Fiscal Commission; representative of state governors; and representative of local governments.
The Supreme Court had directed that Nigeria’s 774 local governments be granted full financial autonomy, with the ruling delivered by a seven-man panel led by Justice Garba Lawal on July 11, 2024.
The suit was filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), seeking direct fund allocation and autonomy for local governments across the country.
