The Senate and House of Representatives have approved a bill seeking to grant financial autonomy to Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Nigeria.
This was made known on Tuesday during House voting sessions, on the report of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bills, 2022.
Senators while voting on the report, rejected pension for presiding officers of the legislature.
The legislation is entitled: ‘Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Abrogate the State Joint Local Government Account and Provide for a Special Account into which shall be paid all Allocations due to Local Government Councils from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State; and for Related Matters’
Both chambers of the national assembly also passed a constitutional bill granting financial autonomy to the state legislatures and judiciaries.
While the lower legislative chamber passed the bill with 286-1 votes, the upper legislative chamber passed it with 83-1 votes.
Out of a total number of 88 Senators registered to vote on the bill, 34 voted in support, and 53 were against the bill.
Both bills have made the cut to be sent to the state Houses of Assembly to vote on them.
