Only 5 States has Complied to the financial autonomy to the legislative arms of government in Nigeria.

 

 

The non compliance to the financial autonomy to State’s legislative Arms of Government by State Governors is a contravention of the law.

In Nigeria,  31 State Governors are yet to concede financial autonomy to the legislative Arms of Government in their States.

Houses of Assembly in only five states – Lagos, Delta, Plateau, Oyo, and Nasarawa are  currently enjoying a semblance of full financial independence.

Twelve others have partial autonomy. They are: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Enugu, Kogi, Kwara, Bauchi, Ogun, Osun, and Rivers.

However, those without any shade of financial autonomy are: Ondo, Katsina, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Ekiti, Abia, and Imo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Niger, Bauchi, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna states.

last week, members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in about 20 states nationwide began a nationwide industrial action following the expiration of the ultimatum for the implementation of financial autonomy by state Assemblies in the country.

Ekiti State PASAN Chairman, Gbenga Oluwajuyigbe, noted that financial autonomy is for both the National and the State Assemblies.

While the National Assembly has been enjoying full autonomy, because their funds are put in the first line charge in the past 10 years, the story is different in the legislative arm of government in states.
He explained that compliance with autonomy could be divided into three levels, which are partial implementation, full implementation, and non-compliance.

There is a full financial autonomy when the spirit and letter of Section 121 is implemented and allocations of the legislature are placed in the first line charge.

And it is a partial implementation when the salaries of the legislature are still being paid by the executive.

Oluwajuyigbe said: “There is a provision in the 1999 Constitution as amended in Section 121, which grants financial independence to the legislature. All we are clamouring for is that the government should implement this provision of the constitution.

“When you say non-implementation of the autonomy clause, it means they have not commenced any form of implementation of Section 121. In this case, the State Assembly still goes to the governor to apply for money for virtually everything.

“We can say that Ekiti is under partial implementation because salaries are not being paid at the state assembly, but still being controlled by the Accountant General. Until they have their own pay point like we have at the National Assembly, it remains a partial implementation.”

National President of PASAN, Usman Mohammed, confirmed that Lagos and Plateau are autonomous already, adding that Jigawa is onboarding gradually.

“The Constitution didn’t say you should do it partially, it has granted autonomy to the state legislature under Section 121. It says the entire fund meant for the state legislature and the Judiciary should be transferred to their accounts. It didn’t say you transfer only the overhead or personnel costs or the capital, it says all the funds,” Mohammed said.