According to DAILY POST reports, Senator Simon Lalong, representing Plateau Central Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the illegal expenditure of local government funds by governors across Nigeria.
Speaking during a debate on a bill advocating for the resuscitation of local government administration autonomy, Senator Lalong criticized governors for resisting efforts to grant autonomy to the third tier of government.
Lalong, who previously served as the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), highlighted the reluctance of some governors to relinquish control over local government administration.
He accused these governors of seeking to maintain control in order to access and spend local government funds recklessly.
However, Lalong clarified that during his tenure as governor of Plateau State, he allowed for the autonomy of local government administration for eight years.
The bill under debate calls on President Bola Tinubu to revive local government administration in Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of grassroots governance.
Senator Lalong pointed out that President Tinubu, during his tenure as governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015, implemented initiatives to enhance service delivery at the local level, including infrastructure rehabilitation.
Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, expressed dismay at the resistance to local government autonomy by some governors, asserting that their opposition stems from selfish motives.
Barau emphasized the need for local governments to operate independently and effectively serve their communities without undue interference from state governments.