Adequate funding will aid LG Autonomy- Ojuko

The Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko has said that adequate funding to various Local Governments across the country will not only  pave way for a meaningful and achievable autonomy across the councils but will enable them to stand on their own without intimidation.

The Commissioner who made this known in Abeokuta while fielding questions from newsmen  however said  that without adequate funding, local government will not be able to stand on their own.

According to him, though local government autonomy was important  as it would allow them to do things independently, but more funds need to be made available for their sustainability.

” Federal government should ensure that payment of primary school teachers be taken over for local government to have a leadway and survive on their own , noting that large chunk of their  allocation was committed to payment  of primary school teachers salaries” Ojuko stated.

The Commissioner also pointed out that the  advantages of  local government system were enormous as they had paved way for grassroots developments as well as enabling the government have direct  access and  interactions with wards, units and eventually allowing for grassroot participation in governance.

Ojuko added that with local governments, socio- economic development spread faster to the nooks and crannies of communities as ample opportunities  were available to local government  staffers and communities at large.

Citing the Ogun State example, Ojuko said the present administration in the State had created wider space for local governments to thrive, adding that with the creation of additional 37 Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs), 236 wards had expanded to 349 wards which automatically had given room for both human and resource expansion, thereby enabling the tiniest unit in the local government feel the impact of governance no matter how small.

HOTSECRETNAIJA