Reps need RMAFC to cease allocating cash to LGs run by caretaker committees

The Home of Representatives has requested the Income Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Fee (RMAFC) to halt all statutory allocations to native governments run by unelected officers appointed by governors.

This decision adopted a movement of pressing public significance moved by Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos) on Tuesday throughout plenary.

Within the movement, Mr Kuye acknowledged that 21 states within the nation are working caretaker committees as an alternative of elected native authorities officers as envisaged by Part 7 of the 1999 Structure.

The lawmaker described this as an affront towards democracy and the rule of legislation.

“The dissolution of democratically elected councils is in direct contravention of Part 7 of the Nigerian Structure, the Supreme Court docket pronouncements on such issues, and a deliberate affront on democracy.

“The variety of states appearing with impunity and in utter disregard of the structure continues to extend, as not lower than 21 state governors are at the moment operating native authorities councils with caretaker committees,” he mentioned.

The legislator famous that native authorities may be very important to the sustainability of democracy as they’re the closest to the folks.

“The native authorities, as envisaged by the structure, is crucial tier of presidency as it’s the closest to the folks and types the inspiration of each the state and federal governments,” he mentioned.

Mr Kuye disclosed that the movement is per the current stance of the Senate on the identical difficulty, including that “this impunity and disrespect of the structure is a deliberate effort to upstage democracy, frustrate accountability and transparency within the native authorities, and likewise thwart their improvement potential.

ALSO READ: Mining Sector: FG, RMAFC to deepen collaboration on income leakages

“In December 2023, the Senate handed a decision to cease allocation to some states after a debate on a movement sponsored by the Senate Minority Chief, Senator Abba Moro, on the pressing have to halt the erosion of democracy in native governments,” Mr Kuye mentioned.

Consequently, the Home resolved that the Committees on State and Native Authorities Affairs and Finance ought to work with the Income Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Fee (RMAFC) to withhold allocations to native governments run by unelected officers.

It additionally urged the RMAFC to create a particular account into which allocations as a consequence of native governments run by unelected officers shall be paid till elected representatives are put in place by such state governments.

Moreover, the decrease chamber requested the attorney-general of the federation to institute authorized motion towards any state that terminates the unexpired tenure of native authorities officers.