Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday, addressed concerns about the future of the Local Council Development Areas in the state, following a public hearing last week.
The hearing centered around a proposed bill that aims to consolidate laws governing local government administration and introduce Area Administrative Councils in place of the existing 37 LCDAs.
The bill, titled ‘A Law to Provide for the Local Government System, Establishment and Administration, and to Consolidate All Laws on Local Government Administration and Connected Purposes, sparked widespread concern, with many fearing that the LCDAs were at risk of being dissolved.
Obasa, however, reassured the public during Monday’s plenary session that the intention was not to abolish the LCDAs but to strengthen their operation.
“I agree on the need for us to schedule a second allotted day for the public hearing,” Obasa said, responding to mounting inquiries from the public about the future of the LCDAs.
He acknowledged the anxiety surrounding the issue, explaining that the review was aimed at ensuring that LCDAs and their parent local governments work together effectively, especially in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that emphasized financial autonomy for local governments.
“We are not scrapping the LCDAs. Rather, what we are trying to do is look at the recent Supreme Court judgment in terms of Lagos and local governments’ joint accounts and find a way for the parent local governments and the LCDAs to work together without the LCDAs being shortchanged,” Obasa clarified.
He further highlighted the need to formalize the LCDAs’ status through the National Assembly, pointing out that other states like Kano have been successful in securing official recognition of their local councils.
“Kano has 44 local governments, and from Kano, Jigawa was created and has 27,” he noted, suggesting that Lagos deserves similar consideration given its size and economic significance.
The Assembly also resolved to hold another public hearing to allow for broader participation, after an earlier hearing conducted by the Committee on Local Government drew poor attendance, reportedly due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Chairman of the Committee, Sanni Okanlawon, shared this during the session and requested the approval of a second hearing day.
Many lawmakers echoed the need for better communication and collaboration with the public and relevant institutions.
Ladi Ajomale expressed concern that the general public might misunderstand the Assembly’s intentions, fearing the government was attempting to phase out certain aspects of the local government system.
He emphasized the importance of securing the formal listing of LCDAs at the federal level to safeguard their status.
In support, Desmond Elliot, representing Surulere Constituency I, stressed the economic and demographic importance of Lagos in comparison to other states like Anambra, which has only 21 local governments.
“Anambra State has 21 local governments, and it is nowhere close to what Lagos has in terms of resources, economic importance, and dividends of democracy,” he remarked, underscoring the urgency of addressing the issue.
The Assembly’s decision to seek an interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy from the state’s Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro, reflects its commitment to ensuring that local governments and LCDAs operate equitably within the state’s governance structure.
