The Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has praised the Kwara State House of Assembly under the leadership of Speaker Ali Ahmad over the decision to support local government autonomy.
The House last Tuesday okayed autonomy for state councils and abolition of joint account for local governments during the Public Hearing for constitutional amendment for an act to alter the provisions of the 1999 Constitution on the abrogation of the state local government Joint Account among other amendments.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) among other unions, government and NGO also backed the decision.
According to the opposition party chairman while featuring in a radio programme, “PDP Gbode”
however called on the legislature to do the needful and avoid enactment of state laws that may impede full autonomy for the local governments.
He said autonomy for local governments is long overdue and abolition of joint account is one of the surest way through which the councils can develop at their pace.
Oyedepo noted that it is manifestly wrong for people to have the notion that only state governors have the key to development of the state, adding that autonomy will attract the right and educationally qualified people to run local government.
He therefore called for the subsequent abolition of the Local Government Service Commission and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) when the amendment is finally passed and accented by the President.
He said the party is ready to accommodate anybody from other political parties, including the ruling APC that is willing to work with the PDP.
