The Senate has supported the financial guidelines for Local Governments recently released by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
The Senate took the decision to support the NFIU guidelines for local governments following a motion sponsored by Senator Abdullahi Sabi.
While presenting the motion, Sabi said issuance of the new guidelines was prompted by threats by international financial watchdogs to sanction Nigeria because of financial abuse.
He added that the NFIU guidelines would reinforce the existence of Local Governments as an independent government established by the Constitution at the grassroots level with sovereign and elected officials
Supporting the motion, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, implored the Senate to liaise with the NFIU to ensure that the guidelines do not contradict with any part of the Constitution.
Ekweremadu appealed to state assemblies to fast-track their work on pending constitutional amendments, which would give legal backing to local government autonomy.
It could be recalled that NFIU on Monday issued a guideline which prevents state governments from making withdrawals from local government funds.