The Lagos State House of Assembly has emphasized the importance of formally listing the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state by the National Assembly.
In conjunction with this, lawmakers have agreed to hold another public hearing on a bill aimed at reviewing the Local Government Administration law of the state. Additionally, the House has invited the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro, to provide an interpretation of the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning financial autonomy for local governments.
These resolutions were made during a session presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa on Monday. He clarified that the review of the Local Government Administration law is not intended to abolish the LCDAs but rather to strengthen them.
“I agree on the need for us to schedule a second allotted day for the public hearing,” Obasa stated, noting that he has received numerous inquiries regarding the future of the LCDAs. He added, “We are not scrapping the LCDAs; rather, we are looking at the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning Lagos and local governments’ joint accounts, aiming to ensure that the parent local governments and the LCDAs collaborate effectively without shortchanging the LCDAs.”
The speaker also advocated for the National Assembly to expedite the formal listing of the LCDAs.
Referencing other states, Obasa noted, “Kano has 44 local governments, and from Kano, Jigawa was created and has 27,” suggesting a review of the revenue-sharing formula by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFAC).