Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has thrown his weight behind a new bill seeking to grant full autonomy to all 44 local government councils in the state.
The governor’s backing was contained in a statement issued on Friday by his spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa.
Yusuf, who presided over the 31st Executive Council meeting at the Government House Annex in Kwankwasiyya City, said the council had approved the transmission of the bill to the State House of Assembly for legislative consideration.
In Nigeria, local government autonomy has been a long-debated issue in the country’s federal structure.
The Nigerian Constitution recognises three tiers of government—federal, state, and local—but in practice, local government councils often lack true independence, especially in terms of finance and administration.
In many states, local councils are heavily controlled by state governments, which limit their ability to make decisions, execute projects, or access funds directly from federal allocations.
This has contributed to slow grassroots development, weak accountability, and inefficiencies in service delivery.
According to him, the proposed law would give local government councils both financial and administrative independence, allowing them to directly manage resources, execute projects without delays, and make decisions that reflect the needs of their communities.
“Local government autonomy is essential for good governance, accountability, and the acceleration of development at the grassroots,” the governor said, describing the reform as a necessary step toward deepening democracy in the state.
He further expressed confidence that members of the State House of Assembly would support the bill, which he insisted aligns with the overall interest of the people of Kano.
Local government autonomy has been a recurring issue in Nigeria’s democratic development, rooted in constitutional debates, power struggles between states and councils, and the drive for improved service delivery at the grassroots.
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