State Houses of Assembly that are yet to pass the Local Government Autonomy Bill into law have been urged to do so to enhance good governance at the grassroots level.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos, the Convener, Democracy Vanguard, Dr. Adiya Ode, charged state legislators to pass the bills to bring government closer to the people.

The meeting was attended by journalists, social development advocates, including new media influencers and social affairs analysts. Ode charged the participants to deploy their tools to mainstream the issue of local government autonomy and mobilise citizens to partake in the crusade until the bills are passed into law.

Ode charged all Nigerians to add their voices to the demand for functional local government system and impress it on their representatives at the state Houses of Assembly across the country to support local government autonomy and pass the bills.

The National Coordinator, Democracy Vanguard, John Mutu, explained that the local government autonomy bill was among the 44 bills passed and transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly and that the bills requires concurrence by two-third of the 36 State Houses of Assembly to become law.

He said: “The National Assembly on 1st of March, 2022 passed the constitution amendment bills granting Financial aid Administrative autonomy to local government in Nigeria. Only Abia and Kogi states have voted in favour of the two bills on local government autonomy out of 36 states, remaining 22 states.”

Mutu congratulated Abia and Kogi for taking the lead and called on all State Houses of Assembly to put people first and pass the bill without further delay.

President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Mr Akeem Ambali, said major issues bedeviling the nation will be addressed with effect local government system.

The NULGE President said the problem of insecurity, lack of social amenities, poverty and unemployment would vanish once there is functional local government system across the country.

Ambali added that the law would attract quality set of people to local government administration and that fund meant for development at the local government would not be diverted and that elected public office holders at local government councils would be able to serve unhindered and deliver services to the people.

The Promoter of Democracy Vanguard, Senator Abdulahi Bala Adamu, said functional and effective local government system would deepen democracy and ensure service delivery to the citizens.

Adamu charged all patriotic citizens who cherish democracy and desirous of good governance to be in the vanguard of championing good governance at grassroots and noted that this could only be achieved through effective and functional local government administration which the laws would guarantee.