The Federal Government has established a 10-member inter-ministerial committee to oversee the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments. This follows the July 11, 2024, Supreme Court decision, which mandates that all 774 local government councils in Nigeria should manage their own funds.
According to a statement from Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the committee was inaugurated to enforce this landmark judgment.
George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, will head the committee. Other members include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation. Additionally, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, state governors’ representatives, and local government representatives will also be part of the committee.
Imohiosen explained that the committee’s primary aim is to ensure that local governments achieve full autonomy and operate independently of state governments. This initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to implementing constitutional provisions that recognize local governments as the third tier of government.
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