Kehinde Fajobi
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has sparked criticism following the signing of the Anambra Local Government Administration Law 2024.
The law, signed on Tuesday, has drawn sharp rebuke from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue it undermines local government autonomy.
Speaking before signing the bill at the Governor’s Lodge in Awka, Soludo defended the law, stating that granting full autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local governments would result in “humongous chaos” and hinder sustainable development.
He emphasised that Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution gives state governments the authority to enact laws for the administration of local governments.
“The new laws by the Anambra House of Assembly are consequential to give operational life to the Supreme Court judgment and not to undermine it,” Soludo said.
The law was passed by the Anambra State House of Assembly last week, aiming to enhance transparency and coordination between local governments and the state. However, critics claim it is an attempt by the governor to control local government finances.
Chief Damian Ugoh, a member of the Labour Party, criticised the law, saying, “The bill seeks to arm-twist the chairmen to send back the local government allocation received directly from the Federal Government to the state coffers. We, as a political party, stand by the decision of the Supreme Court on the autonomy of local government and the management of their funds.”
Dr Ralph Uche, Executive Director of the Civil Rights and Liberty Organisation, called the law “anti-people” and a move to deny local councils the funds meant for grassroots development.
He stated, “The bill seeks to compel local government areas to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state, which is a wrong development.”
Soludo dismissed these concerns, asserting that the law is designed to promote collaboration between tiers of government and protect local governments from financial collapse.
He explained, “No tier of government enjoys absolute autonomy. Without active collaboration and coordination between state and local governments, many LGs will end up in a huge financial mess, requiring bailouts by state governments.”
He added that the new law would ensure the payment of workers’ salaries and prevent the collapse of local government services like primary healthcare. Soludo refuted allegations that local government chairmen had been coerced into transferring funds to the state.
“Governors are often accused of seeking to ‘control’ LG funds. I often ask: control for what?” he said, stressing that the goal of the law is accountability and sustainable governance.
Despite the governor’s reassurances, opposition groups remain unconvinced, warning that the law could lead to greater financial centralisation at the expense of local autonomy.