The House of Representatives, yesterday, passed for second reading, a bill seeking to give local government full financial and administrative autonomy.
The bill also seeks to make local councils have a uniform tenure across the states.
The legislation is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Further Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Financial and Administrative Autonomy of Local Government Councils and Uniformity of Tenure Across the Country; and for Related Matters.’
The sponsor of the bill, Mr Munsur Soro, while leading debate on the bill, said the proposal was necessary at a time when there is “monumental development” at the grass roots. He stated that crafters of the Constitution, in their wisdom, guaranteed the independence of the third their of government.
Soro said, “However, the present reality is a great contrast with the original provisions of the Constitution. Politically, the local governments lack autonomy as the state governments interfere in their elections. Administratively, the local governments lack independence as the state governments determine their staff recruitment and discipline. Financially, the local government councils are not independent as their funds are often withheld by the state governments through the state joints account.”
The Deputy Speaker, Hon Ahmed Wase, who presided over the plenary, however, noted that not all states had not conducted local government elections, while some governors did not interfere in the affairs of the councils.
Wase said, “This is a bill that has passed through this House…this is the third time it is being brought on the floor of the House. I want to appeal that we need to put some caution. It is not all governors that are involved in those activities. So, we should not use sweeping words on all of them. My appeal is also that it is a constitutional matter. It will still require the state assemblies. It is very important. So, I want to appeal to all of us that the intention of the bill is to bring good governance across the country.”
Wase, then, put adoption of the motion for second reading and it was unanimously approved.
However, the Spokesman for the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia) says the house is struggling to carry out its Legislative duties due to paucity of funds.
Kalu made this known while briefing journalists at the National Assembly Complex, yesterday in Abuja.
He said that leadership of the house was managing the available resources to implement prioritised legislative activities.
“The house is struggling with funds, the activities of the house are bigger than the budget and most people do not know this.
“If committee complains, I understand but it is not because their duties are not important or the house does not want to fund them, the funding will eventually come.
“I do not know how the public will react to this, but sometimes they react in ignorance and mount pressure on the house; our budget is the same with what we have 10 years ago.
“The Nigerian people should be patient with us, we will do our best to ensure quality representation,” he said.
Kalu said the house was working hard to make sure Nigerians understood the true situation of things, charging the media on proper reportage.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to arrest and prosecute people using paracetamol to cook meat and others using bleach to process cassava.
The House reached the resolution following the consideration of a motion on matter of urgent importance moved by Dozie Nwankwo, yesterday.
Nwankwo stated that there was occurrence of such practice in Osun State.
He said that “practice of using bleach and paracetamol on food products is highly detrimental to human health.”
The House, therefore, resolved to urge the Ministry of Health to ensure that a blueprint for practices in the public food sector was available to the public for implementation.
It mandated the committee on healthcare services to ensure compliance.