The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has expressed frustration over the six-month delay in implementing financial autonomy for local governments, despite a Supreme Court ruling that directed direct disbursement of funds.
The July 2024 judgment invalidated the practice of governors controlling local government finances, ordering that funds be paid directly to local government accounts.
However, despite the ruling, governors have continued to handle the allocations, disregarding the court’s decision.
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NULGE National President, Hakeem Ambali, has called for immediate action from President Bola Tinubu to enforce the ruling, noting that the situation should have been resolved by October.
Ambali also addressed recent promises that direct allocation would begin by the end of January 2025, citing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum’s visit to the President during the festive period.
He urged the government to follow through on its commitment to end the practice of routing local government funds through state-level intermediaries.
Furthermore, Ambali criticized governors such as Charles Soludo of Anambra and Alex Otti of Abia for attempting to pass laws counteracting the court’s decision, warning that such laws are illegal and cannot override the court’s verdict.
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In response to these challenges, a technical committee has proposed measures to improve transparency in the allocation process, including publishing monthly allocations in newspapers and creating oversight bodies.
Ambali emphasized that local governments must control their finances directly, warning that any attempt to undermine this process would not succeed.
