News
Senate faults govs’ fresh move on LG allocations
The Senate, on Wednesday, expressed alignment with the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, which granted financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas across the country.
It faulted moves by some governors to enact laws to mandate the local government councils in their states to remit allocations into a joint account.
The Anambra State House of Assembly passed the Local Government Administration Bill 2024 on Tuesday, amid condemnation from civil society groups and opposition parties, including Labour Party lawmakers in the assembly.
They alleged that the bill was an attempt by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to arm-twist the council chairmen into paying their federal allocation back to the state.
Reports indicate that some other state houses of assembly have also enacted bills regarding local government administration.
On Wednesday at the plenary, the Red Chamber urged all three tiers of government to fully comply with the judgment and resolved to collaborate with the House of Representatives to amend certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution to ensure full implementation.
The resolutions followed motions sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, and seconded by Abdul Ningi and Tahir Monguno.
Barau said, “I stand to move on behalf of this Senate for the approval of two prayers in respect of the motion that was brought by Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), thereby discarding the earlier prayers in the motion as sponsored by the mover.
“The two prayers are as follows: all states and local governments must fully comply with the recent Supreme Court judgment on the disbursement of and utilisation of funds accruing to all local governments in Nigeria.
“That the Senate ensures alterations to the relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for the full autonomy of the local governments in Nigeria.”
However, the resolutions came two hours after it faced challenges regarding the enforceability of the Supreme Court judgment at the state and local government levels.
At the commencement of the plenary, Nwoye (LP, Anambra North) invoked Senate Standing Orders 41 and 51 to raise a motion about alleged moves by some state governments to circumvent the judgment by passing counter-laws through their respective Houses of Assembly.
Nwoye, who informed the Senate that nine other senators co-sponsored the motion, specifically alleged that some governors were enacting laws to mandate local government councils in their states to remit funds into the State/Local Government Joint Account, which had been ruled against by the Supreme Court.
After Nwoye’s presentation, which included six prayers for enforcing the judgment and was seconded by Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West), Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) raised a constitutional point of order to stop the debate on the motion.
Citing Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution, which makes Supreme Court judgments enforceable nationwide, Aliero urged the Senate not to “over-flog” the issue.
He said, “The Supreme Court judgement is enforceable across the country. There is no need for us to debate anything that has to do with it here.”
In agreement with Aliero, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, highlighted Section 162, Subsection 6 of the 1999 Constitution, which created the State/Local Government Joint Account.
He noted that the provision must be amended to allow for the full implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.
Before a final decision could be made on the motion, Nwoye invoked Order 42 of the Senate Standing Rules for a personal explanation.
Abdulrahman Kawu Summaila (NNPP, Kano South) raised a similar point of order.
The simultaneous motions led to confusion, prompting many senators to consult with the Senate President, resulting in an emergency closed-door session at 12:46 pm.
The emergency session, which lasted nearly two hours, adopted the two separate motions moved by the Deputy President of the Senate.
Anambra LP lawmakers fault LG administration bill
Faulting the passage of the LG Administration Bill in Anambra, the opposition groups said going by the extant order of the Supreme Court, the Assembly could not make laws seeking to compel the LGs to pay their federal allocations to the state government under whatever guise.
Lawmakers, who spoke during the session, said the bill would empower local governments to function effectively, insisting that there was no way to separate LGs from the states.
While passing the bill, the Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze, said, “It seeks to clearly define the powers of the chairmen and councillors at the local government level as they relate to the council areas.
“Some of the contents of the law, such as primary school teachers, primary healthcare centre, Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, Local Government Service Commission, and Pension Board, among others, are areas where the state and local governments interface to ensure proper administration at the local government level.”
But members of the LP in the assembly, comprising Jude Umennajiego, Paul Obu, Nkechi Ogbuefi, Patrick Okafor, Fredrick Ezenwa, Kingsley Udemezue, Henry Mbachu and Justice Azuka, in a briefing on Wednesday, said going by the extant order of the Supreme Court, the assembly could not make laws seeking to compel the local governments to remit allocations to the state under whatever guise.
“Recently, Anambra State Local Government Administration Bill was brought to the Assembly.
“Some sections of the bill, particularly sections 13, 14 and 16 seek to compel the Local Governments to pay their federal allocation into an account to be established by the state government, thereby running foul of the Supreme Court judgment.
“Consequently, we as the Labour Party caucus in the state House of Assembly wish to state as follows: That we stand by the decision of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, on the autonomy of the Local Government and the management of their funds.
“That going by the extant order of the Supreme Court, the state House of Assembly cannot make laws seeking to compel the local governments to pay in their federal allocation to the state government under whatever guise.
“We, therefore, stand with the overwhelming majority of Anambra people in upholding the constitution and the Supreme Court decision.”
Reacting, the Executive Director of Civil Rights and Liberty Organisation, Dr Ralph Uche, described the bill as “anti-people” aimed at denying the Local Government the funds meant for grassroots development.
Uche, a lawyer, said, “The bill seeks to compel local government areas to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state, which is a wrong development, considering that the local government areas have suffered lack of dividends of democracy in the last 10 years.”
The spokesman to the Speaker of the Anambra Assembly, Emma Madu, confirmed that the assembly passed the bill on Tuesday, with 26 lawmakers in attendance.
Section 13(1) of the bill stipulates that the state shall maintain a “State Joint Local Government Account,” into which all federal allocations to LGAs must be deposited.
Section 14(3) further mandates that each LGA must, within two working days of receiving their allocations from the Federation Account, remit a state-determined percentage to the consolidated account. This requirement applies even if the allocations are received directly from the Federation Account.
Section 14(4) outlines that if the state receives the LGA allocation on their behalf, it must deduct the specified percentage before disbursing the remaining funds to the LGA.
Oyo awaiting committee recommendations
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said the state still awaits the recommendations of the two committees set up to review the July 11 Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to Local Government.
The governor, on July 15, set up two committees, technical and legal, with a mandate to review the judgment and come up with recommendations, within six weeks.
Makinde had said the decision to form the committees was because the judgment created a constitutional lacuna that could throw up challenges and problems to the effective running of local government administration.
Though the six weeks had expired, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, speaking with The PUNCH, on Wednesday, said the committee was still meeting and yet to turn in its recommendations. He said the next move of the state government concerning the judgment would be informed by the recommendations of the committee.
Aside from expecting the recommendation of the state’s committees, Olanrewaju said it was also curious that the Federal Government was yet to come up with a template for implementation of the judgment in states.
He argued that the Federal Government also identified the challenges in the implementation of the judgment, which informed its decision to set up a committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The FG committee was also yet to turn in its recommendations. He absolved Makinde of being keen on frustrating the judgment, adding, however, that the governor desired to resolve the identified lacuna that could create problems for people at the grassroots.
“Our committees are still working, they have not turned in their recommendations.
“Even the Federal Government which said it would give a template has not come up with a template. The Federal Government said we should give them three months and that time has not lapsed.
“So, we are still waiting to see what they are going to recommend before we know what we are going to do. “But our committees are still working, still meeting and have not come up with our recommendations. Whatever the committees recommend is going to inform the next step that the state government will take.
“It is a fallacy to say that the governor is fighting tooth and nail to subvert the Supreme Court judgment.
“What the governor said from the outset is that the judgment created a constitutional lacuna. It is because of the lacuna that he set up committees,” he said.
Olanrewaju added, “We have this judgment and if we don’t attend to this lacuna, it will create problems for us at the grassroots level. How do we now, given our peculiar situation, manage this judgment without subjecting our people to hardship? That was the whole essence of setting up the committees. “So, this issue of colluding, trying to frustrate, no. How can he frustrate the judgment? Is he the President? But what the whole nation has come to realise is that ab initio, the governor was right.
“If there was no lacuna, why has the judgment not been effected by those who got the judgment? So, it is not about Seyi Makinde; it is about the gaps in the judgment.
“The Federal Government set up a committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to look into it and work towards the implementation of the judgment. We are still waiting for the recommendations of the committee.
”Leave out Makinde concerning the issue of trying to frustrate the judgment. Those who got the judgment should implement their judgment.” Credit: PUNCH
PETROAN said it summoned an emergency meeting with its National Executive Council after the NMDPRA raised the fuel under-dispensing issue.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has directed its members nationwide to immediately inspect their dispensing meters following concerns raised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over under-dispensing of petroleum products at retail outlets.
PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme.
He said the association summoned an emergency meeting with its National Executive Council on Tuesday after the NMDPRA raised the issue, with the meeting lasting until about 10 pm.
“PETRON circulated a message around the country, calling our members to check their meters as quickly as possible,” Gillis-Harry said.
He added that several members had already begun inspecting their equipment, stressing that faulty meters could result in either under-dispensing or over-dispensing.
“Equipment can be faulty over time because of usage,” he said, recalling that he had previously lost money in his own retail business because a faulty meter was dispensing more fuel than customers paid for.
Gillis-Harry assured motorists that PETROAN members would continue to ensure that customers receive the quantity of fuel displayed on the pump.
“But I can tell you that PETRON members will, at all times, insist on making sure that they sell their products one litre for one litre,” he said.
The PETROAN President also urged motorists to pay attention to the quantity displayed on dispensing meters while buying fuel and to request receipts for their purchases.
He explained that customers should know the capacity of their vehicle’s fuel tank and compare it with the quantity displayed on the dispenser.
“Oftentimes, we educate our staff to call the attention of the patron to check the meter while it is being dispensed. And also to get the customer to check after the product has been dispensed,” he said.
According to him, PETROAN also works with the Weights and Measures Division of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the NMDPRA to ensure that dispensing meters remain functional and accurate.
“PETRON consistently works with the Weights and Measures Division of the Ministry of Trade and Investment, and also the NMDPRA. These are the two regulatory authorities that ensure that our meters are functional. And they are up to date and accurate,” he said.
The NMDPRA has warned filling station operators against under-dispensing petroleum products, with outlets found short-changing consumers liable to sanctions, including the revocation of their operating licences.
Gillis-Harry said PETROAN had taken the regulator’s concerns seriously and had begun working with its members to address any possible faults.
“But we took what the NMDPRA called our attention to yesterday very seriously. And we already started working on that,” he said.
Channels
TEHRAN — Millions of Iranian children returned to classrooms on Wednesday as schools across the country reopened after months of disruption linked to the war and security situation in the region.
Parents accompanied their children to school, with girls arriving in uniforms and mandatory headscarves, as the new academic year began in Tehran and other parts of Iran.
The reopening follows months of uncertainty after classes were suspended following the outbreak of the conflict on February 28. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the southern city of Minab, where a school was struck during the conflict, killing dozens of people, including children.
Iranian officials said the tragedy had cast a shadow over preparations for the new school year, with authorities taking steps to mark the return of students while remembering those killed.
In Minab on Wednesday, Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology, Hossein Afshin, rang the school bell at a primary school to officially signal the start of the new academic term.
The traditional bell-ringing ceremony is normally associated with the president and forms part of nationwide celebrations welcoming approximately 16.5 million Iranian children back to school.
A separate ceremony featuring President Masoud Pezeshkian was held two days earlier this year, before the Iranian leader travelled to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
The reopening represents a return to normal educational activities after months in which the conflict disrupted daily life and forced schools to close in affected areas.
For many families, however, the first day back to school carries mixed emotions, coming after a period marked by military attacks, deaths and widespread disruption.
The government has sought to maintain the annual school-opening tradition despite the difficult circumstances, while officials have continued to commemorate victims of the conflict.
The new academic year will now see millions of Iranian students resume lessons as authorities attempt to restore regular schooling following the prolonged disruption.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that the administration of President Bola Tinubu, has fundamentally redefined infrastructure development across the nation’s capital.
Wike made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja, while addressing newsmen after he inspected some ongoing road projects designed to de-congest traffic and unlock development across the territory.
The minister inspected the ongoing construction of Arterial Road SI, from Ring Road II to Arterial Road S20 (Oladipo Diya Way) in Kaura District and Collector Road C2 in Life Camp to Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way).
He also inspected the ongoing construction of Arterial Road N16 from Ring Road II to Ring Road III and the Jereton Mariere Street by the Apo Legislative Quarters in Gudu District, as well as the ongoing remodeling and renovation of the IBB Golf Course.
“We are happy because we can see that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has redefined infrastructure as far as the FCT is concern,” Wike said.
Expressing satisfaction with the pace of work and quality of execution, the minister said that the administration remained on track to deliver the projects ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He particularly expressed optimism that the Arterial Road N16 would be completed as scheduled, in spite of the complex terrain and heavy bridge construction on the road corridor.
He noted that in spite of the difficult geography, the firm guaranteed delivery by the first week of January.
“If that N16 job is completed, obviously, the entire area will be a different thing altogether. That is a very huge infrastructure landmark,” he said.
Speaking on the renovation of the IBB Golf Course, the minister reaffirmed that the club would be fully operational and ready to host major tournaments by November.
Addressing financial backings for the ongoing projects, Wike said that the 2026 capital budget had hit 60 per cent performance.
He added that in spite of initial delays in budget release that briefly affected contractor payments, funding flow had stabilised, enabling contractors to work at full capacity.
He dismissed political rhetoric ahead of the upcoming election cycle, while advising political office seekers to focus on presenting their records to voters rather than engaging in distractions.
Fuel Under-Dispensing: PETROAN Orders Members To ‘Check’ Meters Nationwide
Kwankwaso Blames Tinubu’s Fuel Subsidy Removal for Nigeria’s Economic Crisis
Iranian Children Return to School After Months of War Disruption as New Academic Year Begins
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