*Gives governor power to suspend erring chairmen, deputies
Segun James
The Lagos State House of Assemblyhas said that the current 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state will be replacedbyadministrativeareas.
It also gavethe state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Oluthe power to suspend erring local government chairman and their deputies.
Thiswas contained in abill for alaw to provide forLocalGovernment’sSystem, Establishment And Administrationand to Consolidate All Lawson Local Government Administrationand Connected Purposes, which went through public hearingyesterday.
The bill specifiedthat the system of Local Government wouldbe by democratically electedlocalgovernments. This is coming on the heels of the suspension of the chairman of the Alimosho LGA by the House without authority of thegovernor.
According to thebill, there shall be twenty (20) Local Government Areas in the State as specified in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
The billcameon the heels of the financial autonomy recently granted the 774 local governments in the country by the Supreme Court, which specified that money would not be released to any local government, which has no democratically elected executive members.
“As from the commencement of this Law, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) shall conduct elections into the twenty (20) Local Government Councils in the state as recognised by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“The twenty (20) Local Government Councils shall have designated Area Administrative Offices as listed in the 1st Schedule to this Law for effective and efficient local government administration in the State.
“Each Local Government Area will have its headquarters in the place names in the third column of Schedule 1 to this Law.
“There shall be thirty-seven (37) Area Administrative Councils in the State with the names specified in Schedule 11 of the Creation of Local Government Areas (Amendment) Law of 2004,” the Bill stated.
It added that each Local Government’s Administrative Council shall be headed by Area Administrative Secretary, who shall be appointed by thegovernor subject to the confirmation of the House.
The Bill stated further that each Area Administrative Council shall be funded by the Local Government Area under which it falls.
Moreso, it was stated that each Local Government Area has the power to delegate any of its functions to the Area Administrative Council falling within the territory of the Local Government Area.