The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Autonomy

  • Fowler seeks autonomy for state tax agencies

    THE Chairman, Joint Tax Board (JTB), Mr. Tunde Fowler, yesterday, advised state governors to empower State Internal Revenue Services (SIRS) by making them autonomous.

    Fowler who is also the chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), gave the advice at the 137th meeting of the JTB in Ilorin, according to a statement endorsed by Director of Communications and Servicom at FIRS, Wahab Gbadamosi.

    Autonomy, Fowler said, is the key to professionalism and generation of more revenue. “The good work that you are doing is evident in the performance of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS). It is good enough for others to follow. We commend the work that KWIRS is doing and agreed amongst ourselves to adopt is as a model. Like I often tell my colleagues, we members of JTB must not disappoint Nigerians.

    “I like you to call on other governors, your colleagues in other states who have not taken the bold step to please do and give autonomy to SIRS. Please help us to convey this to them as an ambassador and tell other governors,”  Fowler said.

    He also called on JTB members to intensify efforts towards meeting revenue targets. Fowler commended Ahmed for growing the internally generated revenue of Kwara State.

    “I like to commend the efforts of the executive governor in transforming the KSRS. It is on record that the state annual Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) grew from N7.1billion in 2015 to N17.2billion in 2016. I therefore, urge the service not to relent in its efforts and continue to work hard to justify the encouragement received by the state government,”  Fowler said.

    The meeting had: Collaboration amongst tax Authorities: Its Impact on Revenue Generation and Service Delivery to Taxpayers as its theme.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who declared the meeting open, told the 36 chairmen of the SIRS that KWIRS’ ability to grow Kwara’s annual (IGR)from N7.1billion in 2015 to N17.2billion in 2016 is predicated on people, processes and technology.

    He noted that Kwara’s IGR moved from N600 million in 2015 prior to autonomy to N1.5 billion monthly, with increase of about N17.4 billion in 2016. “As you are aware, the Kwara State government signed the Kwara State Revenue Administration Law No. 6 of 2015 on June 22,  2015. Ever since, the face of revenue administration has witnessed significant changes that started with the complete change of the people, process and technology for the administration of taxes,” he said.

    The governor who noted that the state has floated the Kwara State Infrastructure Bond (IF-K) into which a percentage of the state’s  IGR will be paid, said the state wants to ensure that contractors are no longer owed in  as banks will not fret to give loans to contractors.

    “While we thank all stakeholders for their contribution to the achievements, taxpayers need note that tax payment is a civic responsibility for the development of the state,” he said, adding that government cannot provide the goods of democracy without citizens playing their part.

    To earn continued support of taxpayers, government must demonstrate transparency on how taxes being collected are used for. It can no longer be business as usual, he said.

  • Oyo legislature and LG autonomy

    SIR: I call on Oyo State House of Assembly to come out with a definite position on the issue of local government autonomy, which according to media reports, it stood down. It is certain that Oyo State House of Assembly would not support autonomy for local government, hence, the jargon – stand down.

    From the body language of Oyo State government which the House of Assembly is an appendage, it is in support of a lame duck local government system. This is why it has not conducted local government election almost seven years after its inauguration. Our House of Assembly members are collaborators in crippling our local government as their assent is sought each time the three months tenure of local government caretaker committee chairman is to be renewed.

    Expecting Oyo legislature to stand on the side of history by supporting local government autonomy is as futile as hunting for a snow in a blast furnace. The pretext that they will listen to public opinion before taking a decision on autonomy is to buy time and suspect.  Or are they not part of the people whose opinion they are to listen to? Or why did they not seek people’s opinion before they passed the bill on financial autonomy for the House of Assembly?

    The fact is that the House of Assembly as constituted does not represent Oyo people who are bearing the brunt of destruction of hitherto flourishing local government system. In actual fact, majority of them are sponsored by the political elite in the state and not by popular choice, so they should not be expected to be on the side of the people. Many of them hardly visit their constituencies any longer, or if they visit at all, go to distribute poverty escalation items for few party members. They are so alienated from the grassroots to know the effect of a stifled local government on the grassroots.

    In my part of Ogbomoso today, drainages, rivers, abandoned sites and road sides have become dumping sites. Not only that, many roads constructed by the local government in her glorious era are dilapidated because of lack of maintenance; neighbourhood markets being maintained by the local government are comatose. Caretaker chairmen imposed on local governments instead of duly elected chairmen are not known by the people. They are only seen in a convoy of tinted cars. There is no doubt that those who make fortune from the local government misfortune would not allow the autonomy to scale through. However, those who know that democracy may not grow without grassroots participation will continue to fight on.

    One expects Oyo people who witnessed the glorious day of local government to speak out against the rape on democracy by Oyo House of Assembly. However, the fact is that the people are disillusioned and have accepted their fate. Nonetheless, few who are still conscious of their rights should not shirk the responsibility of speaking out because according to Edmund Burke “the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing.

     

    • Adewuyi Adegbite

    ayekooto05@gmail.com

  • ‘Grant fiscal autonomy to councils, assemblies’

    Cross River State House of Assembly Speaker Mr. John Gaul-Lebo has stressed the need to grant fiscal autonomy to local governments.

    Gaul-Lebo told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Calabar that local governments would function well if granted autonomy, with its finances freed from any other tier.

    “Beyond financial autonomy, each local government needs autonomy to carry out the administration of the areas under its jurisdiction.

    “If the assembly is not independent and does not have its fiscal autonomy, we will not have the courage to legislate on local government autonomy.

    “The local government autonomy as proposed will allow the assembly to make laws for the administration of local government.

    “I know some of the concerns have been the payment of salaries of primary school teachers, but the amendment has allowed the assembly to make laws for payment of teachers’ salaries.

    “I assure the public that from what has been received from the public hearing, our responsibility is easier. What is left now is for us to go ahead and take the vote as released by our constituents,’’ he said.

    Gaul-Lebo promised that the Assembly will be transparent during voting on the 1999 constitutional amendment transmitted to the House by the National Assembly.

    He said the resolutions reached during the public hearing of January 9 were successful.

    The Speaker said the document transmitted from the National Assembly to state legislatures for hearing and voting was timely.

    He told NAN that the House had set up a committee to listen to the views presented by constituents and stakeholders.

    The committee had submitted same report to the Assembly for consideration, Gaul-Lebo said.

    “Just last week, we had a public hearing on constitutional amendments where we got inputs from our stakeholders and 25 constituencies.

    “The purpose of the hearing was to allow inputs from our constituents on alterations of the 15 provisions transmitted from the National Assembly to houses of assembly.

    “We have set up a committee that will consider the report and prepare a report that will be presented at plenary on January 16.”

  • Ijaw in Edo seek autonomy

    Ijaw in Edo seek autonomy

    Ijaw leaders in Edo State have tabled two immediate demands before the state government to avoid a friction between the ethnic nationality and their neighbours.

    Leaders and representatives of the five Ijaw kingdoms in Edo State – Egbema, Olodiama, Furupagha, Okomu and Gbaran – presented a position paper to Governor Godwin Obaseki on the need for immediate recognition of their kings and the creation of local community development areas (LCDA) for them.

    They said these were the first steps to peace.

    The position paper, which was signed by 17 Ijaw leaders, including the pioneer President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof Christopher Dime; INC’s immediate past Secretary-General, Chief Robinson Esite and the representative of Egbema Kingdom, Mr Edmund Tiemo, also called for the creation of an autonomous local government area for the Ijaw in Edo State.

    The position pare reads: “Principally, what we expect the governor of Edo State to do, in the immediate, is to recognise the five traditional rulers in the five kingdoms of the Ijaw nation in the state. That is the immediate thing that he has to do. This is within the purview of the state government; he does not need the Federal Government to do it.

    “The second one, which will bring recognition to us, is the creation of the local community development authority (LCDA), as it is done in Lagos. We are not talking of Delta State; the one of Lagos State is the one where you have elective officers: the chairman and his councillors are elected to that council and they are taken care of by the state government. It does not need extra fund from the Federal Government; it is within the purview of the state government.

    “The creation of local community development areas is within the state government’s authority. Those things are within his (governor’s) own area and we don’t disagree with him that development is required. But there are certain things about autonomy because the major problem in Edo State is caused by the fact that some people are trying to grab other people’s lands.

    “Saying that we are tenants or migrants is the core issue that has to be addressed by the recognition of the traditional rulers of these places, by the creation of local community development areas, as we have it in Lagos and Bayelsa states.

    “What we want now is not all the development they are talking about; development must be based on justice. He said they want to develop Gelegele Port. Who owns Gelegele? We should first recognise the owners. It belongs to all the Ijaw. The five Ijaw kingdoms must be included in the state’s constitution, the peres (kings) must be recognised, be on the payroll of the state government, just like the other kings.”

  • FG urged to give autonomy to local govts

    FG urged to give autonomy to local govts

    The Ojora of Ijoraland, His Royal Highness, Oba Abdulfatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire, Oyegbemi II, has urged the Federal Government to give autonomy to local governments in order to make them function effectively in the interests of good governance.

    He said this while receiving the Award of Integrity and Service to Humanity  from the ECOWAS Youths’ Council on his 65 birthday at his palace in Ijora, Lagos State.

    “It is necessary to give autonomy to the local governments in the country in order to achieve good governance. This is very important. Local governments are the closest to the grassroots people in the country. They know these people and their problems. They are in a better position to bring about solutions to their problems,” he said.

    The royal father also appealed to the government to improve the security of the nation in order to prevent the killing of innocent Nigerians, while condemning the recent killings in Benue State.

    He dedicated the award to the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Highness,Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, who was described as a peace-loving and great monarch.

    The monarch hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for all the developmental projects being embarked upon for the benefit of the people living in Lagos State.

    The event witnessed a massive turnout of guests from different parts of the country.

    Ten chiefs were installed during the birthday celebration.

  • NULGE takes autonomy battle to state assemblies

    NULGE takes autonomy battle to state assemblies

    The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has put in place measures to ensure that state assemblies pass the local government autonomy bill, its National Executive Council (NEC) has said.

    At its meeting in Abuja, NULGE resolved to declare a national day of prayers to make the members of houses of assembly support councils’autonomy.

    The association’s  President, Comrade Ibraheem Khaleel, said the union would sustain its advocacy and ensure that the constitution review was achieved.

    Khaleel pointed out that the statement credited to the Speaker of theHouse of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, that the state assemblies should be held responsible, if the proposal failed was very sensitive.

    Khaleel said apart from organising prayers across all the 774 local governments, the association would sensitise state assemblies and councillors to approve local government autonomy.

    He pointed out that since the National Assembly had approved the proposal and transmitted it to the state assemblies, the union would  ensure that the state legislatures approved it.

    On the mass sack of workers in Kaduna State, Comrade Khaleel said the union had agreed to support the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in organising a mass action against the “anti-workers and people policy” of Governor el-Rufai.

    He pointed out that NULGE would organise its members across the country to converge on Kaduna and participate in the protest.

    He said the anti-people policies of the Kaduna State governor and the activities of a cabal surrounding the president had disconnected President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Nigerians.

    The union, which regretted that President Buhari and the APC came to power on the mantra of change, with promises to create employment for Nigerians, said the major political office holders in the government, especially the Kaduna State governor, had done the opposite.

    Specifically, NULGE said the sack of 22, 000 teachers and 4, 000 local government workers in Kaduna  by el-Rufai lacked merit and was against civil service rules.

  • Governors and LG autonomy

    Sir, President Buhari said: “Constitutionally there are limits to powers of each of the three tiers of government but that should not mean the federal government should fold its arms and close its eyes to what is going on in the states and local governments. Not least the operations of the Local Government Joint Account. While the federal government cannot interfere in the details of its operations it will ensure that the gross corruption at the local level is checked. As far as the constitution allows me I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country. For I will not have kept my own trust with the Nigerian people if I allow others abuse theirs under my watch”.

    That was part of President Buhari’s inaugural speech after he was sworn in as the President on 29 may, 2015. Has this promise been fulfilled?

    As far as I’m concerned, for local governments to effectively function and operate based on the principles that they were established, both financial and political autonomies must be granted to them. Financial autonomy means that the so-called joint account must be stopped because it is of no use. Most of the governors today enrich themselves through the local government joint accounts. They release only the money for the payment of local government staffs and that is why there’s no local government projects at the local levels across the country, which is against the main objectives of their existence.

    Of course, there’s is pervasive corruption in local governments across the country where a cashier will build a house that even a permanent secretary who spent 30 years in service cannot build or maintain a life style which is beyond his/her legitimate income. Indeed, financial autonomy cannot be granted to local governments without providing the appropriate means that can tame the endemic corruption at that level.

    Political autonomy must be also granted to local governments if we really want them to discharge their duties without the unnecessary interference by governors. Local government chairmen are not dully elected today in Nigeria but selected by governors. Elections are rigged and caretaker committees are selected. Governors send some of their friends, relatives or die-hard political supporters to local governments as caretakers or sole administrators which is not allowed by the constitution.

    Most of the governors ought to have been impeached for this gross breach of constitution. Since the emergence of democratic system of government in 1999, it is noteworthy to observe that each ruling party wins the local government elections of its state. For this to be stopped, INEC should conduct local government elections; this is because most of the governors rig local government elections, prolong the conduct of elections under the pretence of not having sufficient funds for the exercise.

    In my state – Kaduna, the last local government elections we had was in 2012 during the era of late Ibrahim Yakowa. Sole administrators must be discouraged, elected local government chairmen must be given four years to serve.

    If both financial and political autonomies cannot be granted to them, we should scrap them and operate only two levels of government. This is because the kind of local governments we have today are like toothless dogs, it is the governors that dictate to them, appoint or select local government chairmen and give them salaries for their staff in the name of joint account. To the President and all other authorities concerned, Nigerians are looking forward to see what you can do to stop this breach of constitution.

     

    • Hasheem B. Ahmad.

    <hashimbahmad@gmail.com>

  • NULGE to hold prayer on councils autonomy

    NULGE to hold prayer on councils autonomy

    THE National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) is planning to go spiritual in its quest autonomy to ensure that states Houses of Assembly does not kill the bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow for autonomy for third tier of government.

    NULGE National President Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, who said this at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, also asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to call Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai to order and stop him from destroying the party.

    Khaleel said the union was conscious of the fears expressed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, that the rejection of the bill by the states Houses of Assembly may be the end of local government autonomy and was planning to declare a national day of prayer in all the 774 local government councils across the country.

    He said state chapters of the union have also been instructed to positively engage members of the state houses of Assemblies in their constituencies and to actively participate in all public hearing organised by the houses to deliberate on local government autonomy as well as mobilise other like-minded organisation to support them.

    He said the fear expressed by the speaker was a sensitive one, which should not be swept under the carpet.

  • Buhari backs local govt autonomy

    Buhari backs local govt autonomy

    Proponents  of local government autonomy have got a major backer.

    President Muhammadu Buhari declared yesterday his commitment to the deal.

    He described the local government as a tier of government critical to his administration’s anti-corruption crusade.

    The President spoke in Abuja at a national workshop on anti-corruption, organised by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) .

    He was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund, in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr Habiba Lawal.

    The President described the recent passage of the Local Government Autonomy Bill by the National Assembly as an indication that his administration had gradually begun the country’s restructuring .

    President Buhari said: “Apparently, it is corruption that led to the relegation of the local government to the grips of the state government over the years thereby distorting and demeaning the real status of our federalism with regards to devolving governance. A once vibrant tier of government, which occasioned development at the grassroots, has gone into oblivion due to obvious reasons.

    “The good news is that the disposition of the National Assembly in granting autonomy to this very important tier of government is an indication that we have started already to address the question of restructuring which many Nigerians appear to be clamouring for.

    “I and my team are waiting patiently to receive the reports from the state Houses of Assembly so as to do the needful in the event that the current proposal for the review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended ) come to us for consideration and assent.”

    The President said his administration would continue to pursue friendly policies that stimulate economic activities as well as attract foreign investments.

    “The workshop and its theme couldn’t have come at a better time than now considering that Nigerians have spoken (through the National Assembly) in favour of local government autonomy and must be eagerly anticipating an autonomous third tier of government.

    “Corruption in Nigeria as you all know is as visible as the nose on our faces. The dire consequences of corruption have led ultimately to what characterizes underdevelopment in Nigeria, especially at the grassroots in particular and the sub-Sahara Africa at large. It involves every tribe , section or sector of the nation, including every tier and organ of government.”

    The President reviewd the anti-corruption crusade. “So far the experience has been daunting and the outcome quite revealing,” he noted, adding that “despite significant success recorded in recovering severally billions, corruption is fighting back even harder than we envisaged”.

    He urged workers at the grassroots to support his administration in fighting against corruption, just as he acknowledged the role of whistle blowers in the anti-corruption war

    Buhari said “individuals must be seen to be morally upright. Families must be willing to expose even their relatives found to be involved in corrupt practices”.

    The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Ibrahim Khaleel, said the critical position of local government in our federal system presupposes that the development or otherwise of our country depends largely on the performance of that tier of government

    He added: “Sadly, the evidence of corruption in Nigeria, particularly at the local government level, appears to be eternal and its lingering effect has continuously bedevilled development at that tier of government which represents the people.”

  • NCRIB chief seeks autonomy for council

    NCRIB chief seeks autonomy for council

    The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) should be allowed to function without interference, the President, Sola Tinubu, has said.

    Tinubu, who stated this at his maiden Press briefing at Insurance Brokers House in Lagos, said neither he, nor his deputy, or the  Vice President  will interfer with the body’s operation, saying they will  ensure that the position of the President remains  ceremonial, just like a Chairman of Board of corporate institutions, in consonance with the provisions of corporate governance.

    He said changes in non-executive position take place  from year to year, leaving the secretariat intact to ensure  institutional building. He said the secretariat must be adequately empowered to drive the process at all times. He said his team shall empower the secretariat to discharge its responsibilities as expected.

    Tinubu listed some of his programmes as institution building, seamless succession plan; streamlining office of president to ceremonial roles; value addition to members; prudence and cost reduction as well as acceleration of revenue sources for the Council. Others are effective collaboration with other industry operators; enforcement of ethical standards; and effective collaboration with the regulator-National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

    He said: “We will look holistically into the structure of the Council within the purview of law with the aim to building an enduring frame work. I am looking towards a Council that will be able to relate with other regulatory bodies on behalf of the brokers without interference. For instance, it should be the responsibility of the Council to relate with NAICOM on behalf of the brokers, bearing in mind that the President is primarily a broker with interest.

    “We have drawn a 10-year agenda for our Council. This was done in agreement with my next two successors, that is, the Deputy President and the Vice President. This is to ensure that we bequeath a well-entrenched institution to upcoming generation. I am looking at an institution where the President has a ceremonial overview of the Council, giving the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer and his team a level of empowerment as it is obtainable in other professions and other climes. The Secretariat is the regulatory body for the brokers and the President is a broker and a competitor with other brokers in the industry.”