Senator Chris Ngige, former Governor of Anambra State, has called on the Supreme Court to revisit its ruling on local government financial autonomy, arguing that the decision undermines the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Ngige, who served as the Minister for Labour and Employment from 2015 to 2023, emphasized that the judgment effectively invalidates Section 7 of the Constitution, which places local government areas under state control.
He reminded the court of a 2006 ruling in which the Supreme Court had previously cautioned the Federal Government against interfering with state control over local government funds.
Speaking as the guest lecturer at the 29th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference of the Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria (NAUS) in Enugu, Ngige reflected on his experiences as a governor and expressed his disagreement with the direct payment of federal allocations to local governments, without first deducting salaries, pensions, and other statutory obligations for local government workers and traditional rulers.
He recalled that during his tenure as governor from 1999 to 2002, many local government chairmen across Nigeria owed months of salary arrears, and instead of investing in community development, they sought personal luxuries.
Ngige pointed out that some local government leaders were even more corrupt than the state governors themselves, often misappropriating funds that should have gone to improve public services like healthcare and education.
Ngige criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling as contrary to the Constitution, stating that the Constitution clearly defines the boundaries of governmental powers in Nigeria.
He highlighted that Nigeria operates with only two federating bodies: the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the Federal Government at the top.
Local governments, he explained, are subordinate to the states, with state assemblies tasked with making laws regarding local government structures and finances.
The former minister also dismissed the idea that Nigeria has three tiers of government, pointing out that there are multiple levels of government in the country, including traditional and emirate councils in various regions, as well as town and village governments.
Ngige attributed the failure of local governments in Nigeria to the inaction of state assemblies and governors, who have often diverted local government funds for personal gain, rather than using them for public welfare.
He expressed disappointment that state assemblies have failed to hold governors accountable when they overstep their constitutional powers, thus enabling the continued failure of the local government system.
He further emphasized that the local government system could only thrive if governors adhered to the law, and state assemblies became more active in ensuring that local governments are properly funded and structured.
Ngige advocated for the establishment of economic planning boards at the local government level, which would ensure that funds are properly allocated for essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
Reflecting on his time as governor, Ngige shared how he successfully tackled salary arrears and improved the primary healthcare system in Anambra State by creating an economic planning board that included local government chairmen.
This allowed for better coordination and allocation of resources, ensuring that local governments were better equipped to meet their financial obligations and improve public services.
Ngige also expressed concern over the abandonment of thousands of primary healthcare centers built as constituency projects across the country.
He called on state governments and economic planning boards to prioritize these abandoned facilities and revamp them to improve access to primary healthcare.
The former minister further blamed state health commissioners for the failure of the primary healthcare system, despite the National Health Act of 2014, which he had helped champion in the Senate.
He lamented that states and local governments have failed to fulfill their financial obligations in healthcare, contributing to the continued deterioration of public health services.
Ngige urged medical professionals to take a more active role in governance, especially at the local government level, where they could have the most direct impact on improving the health and wellbeing of the population.
