Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has charged local governments in the state to harness the potentials in financial autonomy to scale up service delivery to the grassroots by meeting the communities’ needs.
Oyebanji said that the local government, “as grassroot-oriented, remains a pivotal institution in the realization of sustainable development goals and the actualization of the true spirit of the Nigerian federal structure”.
The governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Oyeniyi Adebayo, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday at a three-day seminar organized by the state Ministry of Local Government Affairs in partnership with Sunstone Place Management Consultants for councils’ executives, legislatives and top managements.
He said that the workshop with the theme, ‘LG autonomy: Repositioning the local government for effective service delivery’ would “expose participants to best practices, regulatory frameworks, strategic financial managements and the practical challenges and opportunities associated with autonomous local governments”.
Oyebanji, who described local governments as “the engines of grassroots development charged with the responsibility of providing essential services, infrastructure and governance that directly impact the communities’ lives, said their effectiveness had often been curtailed by financial and operational constraints.
“The importance of financial autonomy for local governments cannot be overstated, it is a vital pillar of our collective efforts to ensure effective governance, enhance service delivery and sustainable development at the grassroots level.
“Local governments being the closest tier of government to the people are best positioned to understand and respond swiftly to the unique needs of our communities. The capacity to deliver effectively hinges on the ability to manage and control their financial resources independently.
