The lawmaker representing Edo North senatorial district, Adams Oshiomhole, has expressed strong support for the financial autonomy of local governments in Nigeria, following the Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024, which upheld this autonomy.
Speaking at a forum on local government autonomy organized by the House of Representatives on Monday, the former Edo State Governor emphasized the crucial role of local government chairmen in governance, particularly in ensuring accountability and effective resource management.
He stressed that local government chairmen, due to their proximity to the people, bear significant responsibilities in providing essential infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and other public services.
Oshiomhole remarked, “It’s better to have 774 local government chairmen who are thieves than one big thief,” underscoring the need for decentralization of power and resources.
The former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) further pointed out that local government autonomy could create opportunities for wealth generation, suggesting that with proper financial control, every local government in Nigeria could produce one or two billionaires, rather than having just one in the state.
His comments come at a time when discussions about local government autonomy and the proper allocation of resources continue to gain momentum across the country.
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