Pros, cons associated with autonomy of LG administrations

By Emmanuel Nicholas

A Federal System of government promotes the distribution of powers among a central National government, State, and Local governments, allowing for the sharing of governmental functions and authority across these three stratas .

And for decades, the local government administration has never been independent fully, for their administration had consistency been managed by the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria.

The devolution will help prevent too much concentration of political and economic power at one level, which inevitably leads to “managerial constipation”.

Devolution of power to local populations will encourage active political participation, which acts as a restraint against tyranny and dictatorship, which may induce because of the central government being remote for the local people.

Need to amend existing laws 

The financial independence of local government administration is one of the most significant developments in Nigeria recently.

However, the constitutional provisions regarding local governments have created a foundation for interference from both federal and State governments in their administration.

To protect local governments from this undue interference, it is essential to amend certain sections of the local government administration law.

This statement advocates for a constitutional amendment that would free the local government system from federal oversight, allowing it to be self-managed and governed by their respective state governments.

More so to eliminate the overlap of responsibilities in governance, revenue collection, and the benefits expected for the state and local governments from the exploration of natural or mineral resources in their locality.

Under the Nigerian Federal arrangement, while the constitution demarcated and allocated legislative functions between the national/federal government and the states, the local governments were made to function based on laws passed by the States House of Assembly.

This deliberate state of affair has generated much controversy among Nigerian constitutional and political commentators as most proponent of local government autonomy have favoured the total devolution of autonomous power and functions on the local government councils,
while others favour the status quo whereby the local government remains the appendage of the State’s government.

In the very recent past, this matter reached a crescendo as the National Assembly debated over the issue of granting more autonomy to the local government councils, but the judgement of the supreme Court brought liberty to the local government administrations.

So these laws by the State legislatures must be amended or totally suspended for the administration of the local Government to be regulated alone by the Nation’s 1999 Constitution and Laws formulated by legislatures in each local government council.

Problems in Akwa Ibom State 

In Akwa Ibom State, the local Government administration needs season administrators, who must effectively manage the upcoming local government autonomy to prevent a recurrence of the issues experienced in the 1980s and early 1990s. As a child whose both parents were schoolteachers, my family endured years of unpaid wages.

Often, primary school teachers and health workers, whose salaries are constitutionally the responsibility of local governments, went without pay for years.

However, this situation did not affect all local government areas equally; those with better internal revenue sources were less affected by funding shortfalls.

In the new local government administration, local Government areas such as Uyo, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Eket, Ibeno, Ibiono, Mkpat Enin, Oruk Anam, Itu, Uruan, Ikot Abasi, Etinan, and Abak are not likely not to face these issues.

Many of these local governments receive substantial monthly allocations from the federal government due to their size or the mineral resources production available in their locality .

Some of them who are growing metropolis will utilize their internally generated revenue to address any financial gaps.

Therefore, continued administrative cooperation between the state government and local government administrations is essential to protect workers from the sufferings unpaid salaries by some local government Areas with lean allocation and no substantial internal generated revenue.

Currently, the Akwa Ibom State government is responsible for covering salary payments during financial shortfalls and ensuring the settlement of backlog pensions and gratuities owed by local governments administrations, which is not the responsibility of the State government.

And if there is a total breakdown of cooperation most local government areas will return to the dark days of none payments of salaries and pensions, because when there will shortfall in allocation to the Local governments, there will no one to cover up and pays salaries to workers.

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly must become the watchdog of the local government administrations as provided in Nigerian 1999 Constitution to forestall looting, excesses employment of staffers and none performance in terms of projects implementation.

Problems of staffing 

With local governments granted the authority to hire their employees, there is a risk of redundancy for local government service commission.

This decentralization of hiring power can lead to unregulated employment practices, where decisions are made based on personal relationships rather than merit.

The potential for nepotism and favoritism can undermine the integrity of local government institutions, reducing public trust and accountability.

Overstaffing will be a prevalent issue in many local governments, often resulting from political patronage where council chairpersons hire friends and relatives.
This practice can lead to inflated payrolls, and consequently, the inability to pay wages on time.

Overstaffing not only strains financial resources but also creates an environment where qualified professionals may seek employment elsewhere due to uncertainty and delayed payments.

Crises of enforcement of local government autonomy 

Many local governments will enforce policies that require employees to work only in their local government of origin, so there will be confusion during this repatriation exercises.

This means that if you are a staff of the local government in Oron but originally from Uruan local government, the policy requires you to return to your place of origin.

So there are possibilities where some local government Areas during successive employment exercises were lucky to have more employments, so returning them to their original local government area of origin there will be problems overstaffing in such local government area

Duplication of taxes collection 

With the upcoming financial independent for local government administration, most local government will push for more internal generated revenue and hence they will capitalize on the Constitution provision that empowers them to collect taxes from certain sectors.

At present, state governments collect taxes in many sectors. This practice does not noticeably violate the constitutional rights of local governments; it often arises due to overlapping responsibilities established by law.

With the power to collect various taxes—such as emission taxes and environmental hazard fees, just to mention a few —local governments may overlap with state government tax collections.

This could create confusion for taxpayers and lead to protest against perceived double taxation. If there is lack of coordination between local and state governments .

Such circumstances might impede effective governance, create conditions for inter-government litigation, and disrupt revenue generation.

Financial challenges associated with borrowing money 

This independence plays a vital role in effective governance; it empowers local authorities to tackle the needs of the community, finance key services, and encourage economic progress by arranging and securing loans.

However, the misuse of power to secure loans can undermine this independence. If local governments take on excessive debt without proper oversight or purpose, it can lead to financial instability.

Poorly managed loans may result in budget shortfalls, diverting funds from critical services and projects. This financial mismanagement will affect successive governments .

Future administrations might face substantial debt, which could restrict their capacity to invest in new initiatives or address community needs.
Chronic financial mismanagement can diminish public trust and impede future governments’ ability to obtain loans or fund salaries.

The high debt levels can lead to higher taxes or reduced services, which may negatively impact local economies and quality of life.

While financial independence is essential for local governance, the misuse of loan powers can create long-term challenges that affect not only current administrations but also future ones, hindering sustainable growth .

Advantages of financial independence 

Delegating power to local government administration at the grassroots level will strengthen the legitimacy of the government and its initiatives, while fostering development in those areas.

Economically, this approach allows the government to allocate local public goods and services based on specific community needs.

Furthermore, it promotes healthy competition among various sub-national and local governments, leading to innovative social and regulatory policies.

Thus, the devolution of power to local government administration is essential for good governance and serves as a cornerstone of a viable federation, providing extra checks and balances on the central government as well as enhancing the security of constitutional order and social stability, both of which are essential for economic progress and development.

As the local government elections in Akwa Ibom State approach, it is essential to back candidates who have shown credibility and a commitment to integrity. These leaders must be transparent in their financial transactions.

The new local government administrators need to have a genuine passion for their communities and should effectively manage the funds entrusted to them to promote development in the local government areas, ensuring that employees and local government pensioners are paid on time.

Lastly, the collaboration between local and state governments should not be entirely severed; instead, there should be an ongoing unity of purpose and vision. This way, when financial challenges arise, the state government can help share the burden.