Local Government Reform Bill: Group Urges Lagos Assembly not to Scrap 37 LCDAs

Segun James

A civil society organisation(CSO), the Lagos People’s Assembly, has flayed the decision of the Lagos state Government to scrap 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and  urged the state House of Assembly not to entertain the idea saying it  is detrimental to the development of the state.

Speaking during a protest at the House, Co-convener of the group, Kola Abe, pleaded with the House not to destroy the legacy of President Bola Tinubu, which he holds dear to his heart regarding the creation of local government with the new local government bill in the state. 

Abe said no group of people would be allowed  to rubbish Tinubu’s legacy, nor take over the power of the councillors at the grassroots level.

The group is protesting against a contentious bill that seeks to override the autonomy granted to the 774 local governments in Nigeria by the Supreme Court. 

Abe said: “We want to sound a note of warning to the Lagos State House of Assembly not to take over the role of councillors by suspending a local government chairman. 

“The struggle for local government creation in Lagos state started 21 years ago. You will recall that our pathfinder, President Bola Tinubu, started this struggle for more local government. 

“We also heard that the Lagos Assembly is planning to merge the LCDAs and reduce everything to 20. If God has given our leader an initiative to do this years ago, why is Lagos Assembly trying to destroy the legacy of our leader?

“We will not allow that to happen. We’re also surprised that the House is taking over the role of councillors when the Supreme Court has given them autonomy. 

Responding to the protesters, the Chairman, House Committee of Economic Planning and Budget, Lukman Olumoh, who spoke on behalf of the Speaker, assured the protesters that the House will not do anything against the will of the people.

While admitting the gains of the LCDAs over the years, he said it’s the creation of the Assembly, adding that it won’t do anything that will reverse the gains.

He said: “We will not go against the electorate  who have brought us here. Under the leadership of Obasa, we have always worked in line with the constitution. 

“We will not do anything outside the law. We can assure you that we will not go outside the law to do anything that would be against the wish of Lagosians and Nigerians in general. That is an assurance from the leadership of the House. 

“And I can assure you that what you have come with is something that is on the front burner in the state, most especially our own state Lagos and Nigeria in general. 

“So nobody will do anything to go against the law. We are trying to put a face to the Supreme Court’s judgement so that Lagos State is properly managed. 

“We have seen the achievement recorded  in Lagos with the LCDAs and the 20 local governments. Nobody is going to bring us back and we will always move forward.”