The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, addressed the ongoing debate regarding the future of local council development areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State on Monday.
Last Thursday, NEWS REVIEW reported that the Assembly was considering a bill that proposed replacing the current 37 LCDAs with Area Administrative Councils. This was part of a Bill aimed at establishing and consolidating laws related to the Local Government system, which was subject to a public hearing that same day.
However, on Monday, the Assembly decided to schedule a second public hearing on the bill. Additionally, it invited the state Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro, to clarify the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling on the financial autonomy of local governments.
These resolutions were made during a session led by Obasa, who emphasized that the review of the Local Government Administration law was not intended to abolish the LCDAs, but rather to reinforce them. He acknowledged the need for a second public hearing, stating that there had been numerous inquiries about the future of the LCDAs.
“We are not abolishing the LCDAs. Instead, we are looking at how to align with the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning the joint account between Lagos and local governments, ensuring that the LCDAs are not marginalized,” Obasa explained. He also underscored the importance of having the LCDAs formally recognized by the National Assembly.
Obasa compared the situation to Kano State, which has 44 local governments, and noted that Jigawa was created from Kano, now having 27. He suggested a review of the revenue-sharing formula by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to address disparities.
The Chairman of the Committee on Local Government, Sanni Okanlawon, reported that the initial public hearing had low attendance due to poor weather, and requested the Assembly to approve a second session. His colleague, Ladi Ajomale, supported this, expressing concerns that many people were unclear about the intentions of the bill, with some fearing it might eliminate certain local government structures. He advocated for better collaboration with the National Assembly to facilitate the formal recognition of the LCDAs.
Desmond Elliot, representing Surulere Constituency 1, highlighted the importance of listing the LCDAs, given Lagos’ population size and economic significance. He compared Lagos to Anambra State, which has 21 local governments, arguing that Lagos’ resources and contribution to national development justify the need for formal recognition of its LCDAs.
 in Lagos State on Monday.){kind=link}