Financial Autonomy For LGs Not Nigeria’s Problem – Makinde

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has identified lack of local production as the problem bedevilling Nigeria, and not the autonomy of local governments across the country.
The governor said: “There was a judgment at the Supreme Court, local government autonomy, financial autonomy and I will still say it, I think it’s just a distraction.”
Mr Makinde called for focus on the real issue being that “we are not producing enough, we are not productive.”
“Whatever it is that we are sharing in Abuja, which is what this FAAC is all about; whatever is in Abuja, share it with the local governments, is that our problem?” he queried.
The governor made the remark on Friday, during a courtesy visit by executives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by its National President, Chris Isiguzo, who doubles as president of the Congress of African Journalists, in his office at the state secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
The governor’s remark was in reaction to last Thursday’s Supreme Court judgement that granted local governments across the country financial autonomy, and barred state governments from withholding their funds, which he described as a distraction.
Speaking further, he said: “Maybe it is a part of the problem that… yes, you want to have value for what is being shared, but our real problem is productivity.
“But now this is going to be the discussion for the next maybe one month or so, when the issue of hunger and anger in the land will still be under the table. It’s a big issue,” he said.
Mr Makinde also described the federal government’s plan to import food due to the inability of Nigerians to feed themselves, as a big shame on the country.
“And then, we are saying we should go back to those things that will allow us to bring confidence back to our people, and to ensure that this country is back on the path of growth and progress,” he advised.
At the meeting, the NUJ conferred on the governor the Grand Patron of the state council of the NUJ.