Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra has stated that being a state governor in Nigeria today is far from a glamorous position, especially considering the numerous allegations against governors regarding the management of local government funds.
He made this remark during a press conference on Tuesday in Awka, where he provided clarity on the newly introduced State Economic Planning and Development Law 2024, along with the Local Government Administration Law 2024.
Governor Soludo explained that governors are frequently accused of attempting to “control” local government funds, with suggestions that these funds are being mismanaged.
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He said: “In a society where public office is seen as dining table and public trust is low, people judge others by their own standards; by what they would do if they were in the position. I often ask: control for what?”
The governor described the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy as a valuable opportunity to promote public good, enhance transparency, and improve coordination and collaboration between the state and local governments.
He noted that the ruling led to the creation of laws to ensure that funds allocated to local governments are properly managed, spent, and accounted for.
Governor Soludo emphasized that these new laws were enacted to operationalize the Supreme Court’s judgment, not to undermine it.
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“Neither the Constitution nor the Supreme Court judgment prescribes the manner of appropriation, expenditure, and audit/accountability for LG funds.
“The eminent jurists at the Supreme Court did not outlaw collaboration and cooperation among the LGs in funding joint or common services, nor did they nullify Section 7 of the Constitution.
“The new laws require that the LG chairmen meet under the aegis of the State Economic Planning Board (similar to the National Economic Council) decide what percentage of their revenues to contribute to a joint LG account to pay for common services.
“This is ensure that the state can function in a cohesively planned, transparent and sustainable manner to maximise the security and welfare of the citizens,” he said.
Governor Soludo stated that the new laws are aimed at safeguarding workers at the local level and preventing chaos and collapse in primary education and healthcare.
He also emphasized the importance of active collaboration between the state and local governments.
“Given the functions assigned to the LGs by the Constitution, it is impossible to see how they can perform them without active collaboration with state governments.
“Without active collaboration and coordination between state and LGs, many LGs will end up in a huge financial mess, requiring bailouts by state governments,” he said.
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