By Enioluwa Adeniyi

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, has voiced strong support for the financial autonomy of local governments, describing it as a vital step toward grassroots development and governance.

Oshiomhole made these remarks during a forum on local government autonomy organized by the House of Representatives on Monday.

His comments come on the heels of the July 11, 2024, Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the financial independence of local governments.

The former governor of Edo State underscored the importance of financial autonomy in empowering local governments to fulfill their constitutional mandates.

He highlighted the significant responsibilities of local government chairmen, given their proximity to the people, and advised them to allocate resources wisely for essential infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, and other public services.

On a lighter note, Oshiomhole remarked, “It’s better to have 774 local government chairmen who are thieves than one big thief,” adding that with this every local government in Nigeria will produce one or two billionaires, rather than having just one billionaire in the state.

This comes a day after the spokesman for the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Obiora Orji, lamented that the promised direct payments have not been initiated.

Speaking on the situation during an interview with Punch, Orji, confirmed that the promised direct payments had not been initiated.

Also, the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Akeem Ambali, explained that the delay stemmed from the absence of approval of President Bola Tinubu for the full implementation of local government financial autonomy.