The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has inaugurated a 10-member Inter-Ministerial Committee to enforce the Supreme Court’s judgement granting financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
The judgement, delivered on July 11, 2024, aims to ensure that local governments can operate independently without interference from state governments.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the SGF, Segun Imohiosen, the committee’s primary objective is to implement the provisions of the Constitution that recognize local governments as the third tier of government.
“This move is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR efforts to give appropriate implementation to the provisions of the Constitution, which recognizes local governments as the third tier of government,” the statement read.
The committee, chaired by the SGF includes the Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Atorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice; Minister of Budget & Economic Planning; Accountant General of the Federation; Governor ofbCentral Bank of Nigeria; Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Finance); Chairman, Revenue Mobilization Allocation & Fiscal Commission; Representative of State Governors; and Representative of Local Governments.