The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has charged state houses of assembly to endorse local government autonomy in the interest of ordinary Nigerians, particularly those in the rural areas.
Adeyemi, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said the local government structure was created to give the common man a sense of belonging.
He said: “I am happy local government autonomy scaled through in the two chambers.
“The task now is for the state houses of assembly to allow it to survive.
“If they don’t, then they are calling for anarchy because poverty is on the increase in this country.
“Most times, people accuse the Federal Government but we have three tiers of government.
“If every tier of government is doing what it is supposed to do, there wouldn’t be this high level of poverty in the country.
“Local government should be allowed to exist because without the rural dwellers there can’t be Nigeria.
“Every right thinking Nigerian should rise to support it.”
The lawmaker, who said he had been in the vanguard for autonomy of local councils, added that the structure was created in 1976 to empower the ethnic nationalities.
Adeyemi said: “Don’t forget that because of the diversity of our people, local government autonomy is important to ensure that no ethnic group is marginalised.”
He stressed that local government autonomy would guarantee speedy development, adding that it would afford ordinary Nigerians the right to hold chairmen accountable.
Adeyemi, who was a member of the Senate Conference Team that reviewed the 1999 Constitution, said it was disheartening to note that local governments over the years had not been independent.
He said local governments had only existed on papers because allocations meant for them were being used by state governments.
The Fourth Alteration Bill 2014, recently passed by the National Assembly, was on October 28 transmitted to the state assemblies for ratification.
Part of the provisions passed by the National Assembly is the autonomy of local governments.