LG Autonomy: There’s hunger in the land, S’Court judgment a distraction- Makinde

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed his concerns that the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on financial autonomy for local government councils is diverting attention from more pressing issues like hunger and the high cost of food in Nigeria.

In a judgment on Thursday, the Supreme Court mandated the Federal Government to disburse funds directly to local government council accounts. The court also ruled that state governors’ control over local government funds was unconstitutional.

Addressing the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its National President Chris Isiguzo, who had conferred on him the title of Grand Patron, Makinde stated in a video post that the focus should be on addressing hunger. “The judgment of the Supreme Court, there is local government autonomy, financial autonomy, and all of that, and I will still say it, I think it’s just a distraction. We must face the real issues that we have,” he said.

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Makinde emphasized that the real issue is Nigeria’s lack of productivity. He criticised the focus on financial autonomy for local governments as a diversion from more significant problems. “We are not producing enough. We are not productive. Whatever it is that we are sharing in Abuja… Is that our problem?” he questioned.

He continued, “Maybe it is a part of the problem, but yes, we want to have value for what is being shared. But our real problem is productivity. So now this is going to be the discussion for the next maybe one month or so when the issue of hunger and anger in the land will still be under the table. It’s a big issue.”

Makinde lamented the Federal Government’s recent stance on food importation, calling it a national embarrassment. “The Federal Government is saying now we need to import food. It’s a big shame. Yes, it’s a big shame on this country. We cannot feed ourselves,” he said. He urged a return to policies that would restore confidence and promote growth and progress in Nigeria.

Proofreading, editing by Sakinat Musa Abubakar and Jamila Yunusa Suleiman, Editor and Sub- editor at Neptune Prime

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