PeakNews Online
Katsina State, Nigeria – Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has expressed concerns over the recent Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to Local Government Councils, describing it as ill-timed amidst the ongoing implementation of the 2024 budget. The judgment has brought uncertainty to the future of the Local Government Civil Service Commission and the Local Government Pension Board.
Addressing a joint meeting with members of the State Executive Council, House of Assembly, and Local Government Councils chairmen at the Government House, Radda emphasized that the ruling did not account for the unique security challenges faced by over 20 Local Government Areas in Katsina. He stressed the importance of continued collaboration between the state government and local councils to tackle these issues effectively.
“Our concerted efforts have reduced insecurity to the fringes of the frontline Local Governments Areas,” Radda stated. “We could only achieve that by jointly establishing the Katsina State Community Watch Corps. Fighting insecurity is a monumental and resource-consuming endeavour, and we must continue to fight it together regardless of the situation in individual local governments.”
The governor highlighted the potential impact of the judgment on various socio-economic development projects funded by multilateral organizations like the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank. He emphasized the need to reassess how loans will be repaid and how future Subsidiary Loan Agreements will be structured in light of the new autonomy.
“We are midway through a budget cycle designed based on previous funding arrangements. Given that the judgment takes immediate effect, we must understand how our 2024 budget will be affected and what measures we must take to maintain our budget objectives,” Radda explained. He raised concerns about critical arrangements for local government councils, including salaries for teachers under SUBEB, local government workers, pensions, gratuities, primary healthcare facilities, deductions for the emirate councils, and contributions towards security.
Governor Radda has instructed the state Attorney-General to provide a full report on the legal implications of the Supreme Court’s decision. He reiterated his commitment to the Community Development Programme (CDP), which aims to empower local governments by addressing core community needs directly. The CDP involves establishing community centers in every ward, hosting offices for socioeconomic development, community support, and learning centers to advance academic and moral knowledge.
“The narrative that local government funds are pocketed by governors as if they are not spent in line with a budget or, in the case of Katsina, with the participation of the local governments and House of Assembly needs to be reversed,” Radda concluded. He reaffirmed that all funds due to Katsina State are expended for the state’s benefit, emphasizing the importance of transparency and collaboration in governance.
Joe
