Opeyemi Olamilekan
A Nigerian lawmaker, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing the Edo North senatorial district, has expressed strong support for the financial autonomy of local governments in thr country.
Oshiomhole’s comments came in response to the country’s highest court’s ruling in July, that upheld the financial autonomy of local governments.
Speaking at a forum on local government autonomy organized by the House of Representatives on Monday, the senator emphasized the importance of character in governance and accountability.
Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo state, highlighted the significant responsibilities of local government chairmen, given their proximity to the people, and advised them to allocate resources wisely for essential infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, and other public services.
“It’s better to have 774 local government chairmen who are thieves than one big thief,” he said, adding: “with this, every local government in Nigeria will produce one or two billionaires, rather than having just one billionaire in the state.”
Nigeria has 774 local government area (LGAs), each administered by a local government council consisting of a chairman, who is the chief executive, and other elected members, who are referred to as councillors.
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