Group frowns at financial autonomy for local govts, says it ignores current realities

A group, Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) has raised a number of questions over the financial freedom granted to Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country recently.

The socio-political group said implementation of the laid-down rules and regulations on the directives are not achievable.

Using Akwa Ibom State as a case study, it argued that the new policy was not in the interest of Akwa Ibom indigenes, it ignores present day realities on ground.

Leader of the group Prince Emmanuel Sam, in a statement on Thursday contested that the new law throws up a set of challenges in Local Government administration which must be resolved in order not to bring chaos, conflict and insecurity in the state.

Sam also claimed, that research by the group showed “that there was no thorough assessment of the economic impact the development will have on states. What happens to states like Lagos with 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs which are not recognized by the Constitution.  Will the LCDAs, which brought government to the grassroots cease to exist as they cannot benefit from federal allocation?

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“Similarly, in Akwa Ibom State, it is a known fact that some Local Government Areas especially the 10 foremost LGAs would be rendered non-viable with overstretched wage bills due to the over-bloated workforce.

There is a serious threat of massive job cuts in Local Government Areas as the fallout of this development. Just as one state cannot transfer its workers to other states, Local Governments will not accept indigenes of other Local Governments. In Uyo Local Government Area, for instance, over 70% of primary school teachers and primary health workers serving there are not indigenes. As a result of autonomy, Uyo LG authorities can decide to reject non-indigenes posted to them by the Local Government Service Commission. And, then employ only indigenes strictly on need basis. What happens when all the other Local Government Councils follow suit?”

Sam expressed concern that some Local Government Areas including Ikot Ekpene, Abak, Uyo, Eket, Oron and others with overstretched workforce may still be unable to carter for monthly wage bill even if it comes directly from federal allocation coupled with aggressive revenue generation”.

He maintained that it reeks of double standard on the part of Federal Government to hurriedly sign Local Government Autonomy Bill into law whereas it is shying away from addressing a fundamental matter such as federalism that affects the very existence of the country.

He implored the incoming 7^th Assembly of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to carefully weigh all pros and cons of the law as it affects the State before ratifying it.

“The State legislature should not be in a hurry to domesticate the law because it is not enough to legislate on a law of such heavy consequence without measures taken to ensure smooth implementation”.

Furthermore, he advised Akwa Ibom people to ignore mischief makers who are trying to reap cheap political capital out of the difficult situation.

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