Mr Fatai Ayoola, Chairman, Ajeromi-Ifelofun Local Government Council, Lagos State, says councils in the state had been enjoying financial autonomy before Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the apex court granted financial autonomy to local governments in its judgment in a suit filed by the Federal Government.
Reacting, Ayoola said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State had been making governance easy at the local government level.
He spoke with NAN in Lagos on Friday, while describing the judgment as a welcome development.
“Lagos has a unique way of doing things. Our governor doesn’t touch our money. That is why you can see a local government chairman like me building a stadium.
“That is why you can see a local government chairman doing an empowerment programme of N250 million for women.
“I am going to have a security summit next week and I will be distributing 18 vehicles next week to security agencies.
“I have been able to build schools, hospitals and have constructed roads. Lagos is different,” he said.
Ayoola said that the judgment would bring succour to chairmen who were not enjoying the privilege Lagos council chairmen had.
“The actual beneficiaries of this landmark judgment are in some states, where the state government appointed caretakers to man local governments. That does not happen in Lagos. Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu does not touch our money. We are able to use our money to meet the yearnings of the people,” he said. (NAN)
Hmmm….if this is true then all the LGA Chairmen in Lagos State should be arrested by EFCC to account for how they’ve spent their allocations without any feasible meaningful project to show for it in their various constituencies.