Prez Buhari To Free LGs From States And Clarify Tiers Of Govt Roles

President Muhammadu Buhari says his

administration will support a constitutional

amendment to free local governments from the

stranglehold of states and better the lot of

Nigerians at the community level.

Receiving the leadership of the Association of

Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) on

Thursday in Abuja, President Buhari said a

constitutional amendment was urgently required

to clearly define the relationship among the

three tiers of government.

He described the frosty relationship between

states and local government as “a very serious

constitutional problem”.

“The relationship between the three tiers of

government is not a very nice one, especially

that between the local governments and the

states.

“The states feel like they own the local

government, if they are of the same party. It is

worse if they are not.

“This is a very serious constitutional problem

and unless there is absolute clarity and

transparency, the relationship will continue to be

exploited against the interest of the ordinary

people of the country,” the President said.

President Buhari advised the ALGON executives

to hold consultations with their people and

lawyers with a view to presenting a bill that will

seek a constitutional amendment to free the

councils from the stranglehold of the states.

“This will limit the damage they can do to you.

The quicker you do this the better, so that you

can help your people much more,” the President

said.

The President acknowledged the request by

ALGON for the release of 3.2 billion dollars

wrongfully deducted by the Federal government

for the final settlement of foreign debts in 2005.

Supported by Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Minister

of Finance, President Buhari said the

government recognized the judgment debt but

the timing of the request for its repayment was

wrong given the current economic situation in

the country.

In his remarks, Acting ALGON National President

Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Karaye presented a six-

point demand to the President which included

the repayment of the 3.2 billion debt and the

need to ensure the sovereignty of local

government administration in the country.

The ALGON leaders expressed their full support

to the President’s programmes on improving

security, anti-corruption campaign and economic

revival.

GARBA SHEHU

SSA to the President

(Media & Publicity)

September 15, 2016