The spokesman for the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Obiora Orji, has voiced deep frustration over the prolonged delay in the implementation of direct payments to local governments, following a Supreme Court ruling months ago. The ruling mandates that monthly allocations should be paid directly into the accounts of the 774 local government councils, bypassing the current practice of routing funds through the joint state-local government accounts managed by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). However, despite the ruling, allocations are still being processed through the joint accounts, and no significant progress has been made to implement the new directive. This has raised concerns among local government officials and stakeholders.
The Federal Government had acknowledged the need to address some operational issues and initially set a three-month period to resolve them, which expired in October. Unfortunately, four months after the ruling, the promised changes remain unfulfilled. In an interview with Punch, Orji emphasized the importance of the direct payment implementation, stating, “It is what everybody is waiting for. It cannot be hidden, and once the payment is made, everyone will be aware.” The absence of direct payments is becoming a growing source of discontent among local government officials who had hoped for immediate compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision.
Similarly, the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Akeem Ambali, shared his own concerns about the delay, attributing it to the lack of presidential approval for full financial autonomy for local governments. Ambali revealed that NULGE had submitted a position paper to the inter-ministerial committee set up by the Federal Government to oversee the implementation of the Supreme Court’s directive. The committee, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, had reportedly concluded its deliberations and submitted a technical report to President Bola Tinubu for final approval. However, as of now, the situation remains unresolved, with local government workers eagerly awaiting a concrete decision from the government. The ongoing delay has left many wondering when the promised reforms will finally be put into action, and whether the local governments will ever see the autonomy they have long sought.
The prolonged delay continues to affect the operations and financial planning of the local governments, who have been unable to access their full entitlements as expected. The situation has also sparked widespread discussion about the lack of urgency in addressing the needs of local government councils, whose operations are crucial for delivering essential services to the public. As the standoff continues, both ALGON and NULGE are calling on the Federal Government to expedite the approval process and fulfill the promises made following the Supreme Court ruling. Local government officials and citizens alike are hoping that this issue will be resolved soon, allowing for greater financial independence and autonomy for the local councils across Nigeria.
