By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The Lagos State House of Assembly, in a bid to ensure effective local governance, has resolved to hold another public hearing on the proposed review of the state’s Local Government Administration law. This decision comes as concerns mount over the fate of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) amidst a recent Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy for local governments.
At the House’s Monday sitting, presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Assembly also called for the presence of the Attorney-General of Lagos, Lawal Pedro, to interpret the Supreme Court judgement concerning the financial relations between Lagos and its local governments.
Related news
Publisher Urges Lagos Assembly to Push for LCDAs’ Constitutional Recognition
Lagos council chairmen oppose bill to scrap 37 LCDAs
Obasa emphasized that the law review was not intended to scrap the LCDAs but rather to strengthen them and ensure they operate harmoniously with parent local governments. He stressed the importance of maintaining fairness, ensuring that LCDAs are not disadvantaged financially.
“I’ve been receiving calls from concerned citizens who fear the LCDAs may be abolished. Let me clarify: we are not scrapping them. Our goal is to ensure better cooperation between local governments and LCDAs, particularly in light of the joint account ruling by the Supreme Court,” Obasa explained.
He further suggested that the Lagos Assembly should liaise with the National Assembly to formalize the status of LCDAs as full-fledged local governments. Citing other states like Kano, which has 44 local governments and Jigawa, which has 27, he called for a review of the revenue-sharing formula to better reflect Lagos’ population and economic significance.
The Assembly’s decision followed a report from Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, Chairman of the Local Government Committee, who noted that many stakeholders missed the first public hearing due to poor weather conditions. He recommended a second session to ensure better participation.
In support of the call for further consultation, Hon. Ladi Ajomale expressed concerns that some stakeholders were unclear about the review’s intentions, fearing it might eliminate certain local governance structures.
Similarly, Hon. Desmond Elliot highlighted the need for the National Assembly to recognize the significance of LCDAs, especially in a state as economically vital as Lagos.