Nigeria News Nalin The report said the federal government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening local governance and ensuring full implementation of local government autonomy in Nigeria.
Minister for Special Responsibilities and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zephaniah Bitrus JisaloThis statement was peaked at the Nigerian Local Government Development Summit in Abuja on Tuesday.
The summit convened key stakeholders, including members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, local government administrators and development partners, with the “Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy and future rulings on local government administration and grassroots development”. The aim is to consider the impact of the recent Supreme Court decision and to confirm the financial and administrative autonomy of local governments.
Represented by Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, the Ministry’s permanent secretary; Gizalo said the ruling provided unprecedented opportunities to reshape grassroots governance and ensure that local authorities have direct access to resources and decision-making power.
He reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to working with governments at all levels and transformed the ruling into tangible development results.
“Our Ministry is fully committed to strengthening intergovernmental cooperation to ensure that local government autonomy leads to meaningful development. The foundation of national progress is a strong and effective system of local governments and we are ready to support initiatives to strengthen governance at the grassroots level, This is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 8-point update of hope agendaHe said.
The Minister further highlighted the Ministry’s plans to establish partnerships with local governments, development agencies and private sector players to enhance capacity building, infrastructure development and improve service delivery.
Jisalo calls on all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations and international partners to promote authorized policy cooperation Local government fulfill its constitutional tasks.
“The autonomy of local governments must go beyond policy statements; it requires intentional action, intergovernmental cooperation and accountability. The summit provides a vital platform for exploring practical solutions and building strategic partnerships to Promote true grassroots development,He added.
He reiterated the Ministry’s support for strengthening local governance and ensuring that autonomy translates into service delivery and sustainable development for all Nigerians.
