Some Nigerians see local government council entrenched as third tier of government in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as a strange fellow to federalism in a presidential system of government.
The people who were reacting to decision of members of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Wednesday to suspend voting for local government autonomy in the state described as strange the inclusion of local government as a third-tier system of government, saying “this is a laughable distortion of federalism.”
In an interview with Straightnews, Dr. Effiong Edunam, an ex-university don, said “This is a federal system. And in a federal system, there two tiers of government. Local government is never a tier of government in the federal system. “
Edunam who is also the immediate past President of Oron Union observed “It is a very strange form of federalism to have a third tier of government. I t does not exist anywhere. Local government is under the purview of a state in other climes.
To include local government in the federal constitution is one of the most laughable distortions of the federal system as we have in Nigeria.”
Etim Ukpong, state chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Akwa Ibom State Council, who also spoke to Straightnews concerning local government being regarded as a third tier of government described it as “a strange fellow to federalism.”
Ukpong recapped “In USA, there are counties. The Americans are running true federalism- the federal and state structures are prominent. In the allocation of resources, the federal and the states are in the focus.
“In Nigeria, we get distracted with minor things. In true federalism, the component units at the state level control resources and remit profit in per centage to the centre. Coming to the state level, the state will then decide what to do to bring governance to the grassroots by way of delineating the units into smaller components: counties, local governments, provinces and divisions. This is where we should go.
“But in a system where confusion has already become the norm, it is difficult to go the long hog. To correct the constitutional flaw, we have to return to National conference to redraw how the components should be like. Of course, you know the politics in Nigeria particulary when it involves people and tribe presumed to control politics. They will never agree with you on the need to change the status quo.
“The result of the National Conference will be unfruitful and people who think the control power will go home and be happy that they have won and are still in charge of government. Some of the people control the military and if their interest is affected, they can stage a coup. To amend the constitution and bring it to a two-tier system means going to the drawing board. It will take a long time before the drawing board could produce result.
“When we talk about granting autonomy to the local government, it appears we are getting into quagmire. In my view, I think the local government should be seen as a component of the state not as an independent entity.”
The chairman stated “Not long ago, we (labour leaders) were in the state House of Assembly. That was why the House of Assemblymen invited us. I noticed that most of the people who there were already pre-disposed `to granting autonomy to local government councils.
“Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) is not opposed to granting autonomy to local councils but our position is very clear. Grant autonomy to local government council for purpose of development of at the grassroots, but do not include funding and management of primary education in the autonomy. The National Assembly has been trying to find a middle course with agitation from both sides- the political class and the local government on the one side and the teachers on the other.”
Abiodun Oluwabamide, a professor in Sociology Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, rebuffed granting autonomy to the local government councils to cushion the hardships of their workers.
Oluwabamide said the primary teachers are crying and rejecting their inclusion in the local government autonomy, saying “they do not want the autonomy at all. It is better for states to manage the payment of primary school teachers. If granted, the local government chairmen and their councillors will appropriate most financial resources to themselves at the expense of the staffers and the villagers.
The professor argued “Most local government councils are in remote areas and if autonomous, it becomes difficult to monitor what they are doing there. I object to local government autonomy. If it is done in developed countries, it is better, but from the Nigerian perspective, it is worse.”
According to him, “In the state capital, the press is actively there to monitor everything. If anything is happening, you will know but if nothing is happening, you will know too. If states are managing the local governments, it is better. But in remotely situated councils, the press is not interested to monitor even know what is happening there to constantly beam their activities to the public.”
Recall that at a stakeholders meeting for the review of 1999 Constitution held in state House of Assembly last year, Uwem Nwoko had argued that local government should not be regarded as a third tier of government because the system is subsumed in the state government.
Nwoko, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice who kicked against granting of autonomy to local government in the state however based his argument on the existing 1999 Nigerian constitution which accords recognition to a three-tier system of government.
Though Nwoko canvassed support for a joint state account recognized by the constitution, his argument that local government was a subset of the state which is contrary to the spirit of the aforesaid constitution was readily repulsed by other speakers mainly legal practitioners.
However, Martin Effiong, the president of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Akwa Ibom State branch has reacted differently to the views. Details loading… in an interview with Straightnews will reveal more.
