Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara State governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), has said the Supreme Court verdict granting financial autonomy to Local Government will relieve burden on governors.
AbdulRazaq spoke at the State House in Abuja on Friday, on the ruling of the apex court, in the company of his Bauchi and Imo State counterparts; Bala Mohammed and Hope Uzodimma.
The Kwara governor said the governors welcome the judgement and that state attorney generals will study the ruling.
“We welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court. Compliance is a given and our attorney generals have applied for the enrollment order which we’ll study carefully. But by and large, governors are happy with the devolution of power with respect to local government autonomy”, the governor said.
“It relieves the burden on governors. Our people really don’t know how much states expend in bailing out local governments, and that’s the issue there”.
The NGF chairman stressed the forum will meet next Wednesday to come up with a resolution about the matter. He added that contrary to speculations, governors have “never tampered with local government funds”.
“It’s not going to affect the states,” the NGF chief said, and believes that with the autonomy granted to local governments, the third tier of government can better manage their affairs,” he stated.
