Some stakeholders from Bauchi and Borno states have expressed support for Local Government financial autonomy in the country.
The representatives of the two states expressed the support at the ongoing public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution by the House of Representatives Committee in Bauchi, on Tuesday.
In his presentation, Mr Yakubu Kirfi, the Bauchi Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, stated that the state fully supported the provision on local government financial autonomy.
He said that the local government administration was very close to the people and that it needed financial autonomy to provide people with the basic amenities.
“This is why the (Bauchi) state government is supporting the provision that would give local government financial autonomy; to provide basic amenities to the downtrodden,” he said
Similarly, Mr Abdullahi Askira, Deputy Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, said local government fiscal autonomy was necessary to revitalise the administration, which he said, was the closest to the people.
He said the provision of financial economy would improve the socio-economic rights of the local government areas.
On her part, Mrs Jedidiah Thomson, representative of Civil Society Organisations in Bauchi, said the local government’s financial autonomy would be a breath of fresh air, especially to people at the grassroots.
“It will give them a sense of purpose and belonging. The councils would be empowered to take care of the people’s pressing needs.
“They can handle major projects that would touch the lives of their communities in a way that would go beyond what the state and the federal government could do; because they are closer to the people,” she said. (NAN)