State Governors, Blocking LGC’s Financial Autonomy, Peasant Empowerment Alleges

By Tom Okpe

A group, Peasant Empowerment Concern Initiative, PECi, an NGO has alerted Nigerians of the danger of impoverishment of our rural areas, by the 35 State Governors, allegedly, blocking Local Government Financial autonomy for sheer personal gains.

PECi in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Senator Ita Enang and Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu in Abuja on Sunday, submitted that going by records of Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, the milestone financial autonomy of Local Government Councils, initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is in danger as only Delta State complied, while 35 States have refused to open accounts with CBN as directed.

They argued that LGs financial autonomy is meant to develop, “our grassroots and empower peasants majority, of whom reside in the rural areas.”

The group noted that the peasant empowerment and development gains intendment of LG’s financial autonomy, being blocked by State Governors, will further impoverish our citizenry, fuel urban migration, kidnapping and spread rural diseases.

The NGO frowned at the intimidation and coercion strategy, allegedly adopted by the Governors, who cynically prefer commercial banks domiciliary accounts lodgment easy to manipulate more than CBN accounts that is out of their control.

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PECi challenged all progressives to join hands to give life to financial autonomy of LGCs; “as the only toolkit to stop State Governors who for 25 years, have converted it to slush funds, thereby sabotaging development of rural areas.”

Recall that on July 14, 2024, the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment granted financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Councils in Nigeria, which was followed by directive that all LGCs shall open domiciliary account with CBN.

PECi reminisced on how the EFCC up to date unfortunately is still burdened with the trial of many State Governors who pilfered Local Government funds for personal gains.

“It would be untoward and regrettable that after Nigerians had jubilated with the liberation of Local Government funds, with this progressive policy, that Nigerians are still held hostage by State Governors who for 25 years frustrated the amendment of the 1999 Constitution in favour of Local Government autonomy.

“That mismanagement of LGCs funds for personal gains over the years have stifled democracy and sabotaged peasants empowerment at the grassroots level, hence watered down Mr President’s milestone legacy.

“We therefore, appeale to Mr President to as a matter of urgent national importance, freeze the accounts of State Governments that obstruct direct allocation of funds to the LGs, so as to accelerate the development of our rural areas and deepen our democracy at the grassroots level.”

PECi further appealed to the National and State Assemblies to include in the ongoing constitutional amendment, the unique Uwais Electoral Reform recommendation that Chairman and Commissioners of both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and State Independent Electoral Commission,SIEC, to be publicly bided, to divorce the loyalty of appointees from appointers and enhance free and fair elections.”