Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing the Edo North senatorial district, has voiced strong support for the financial autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.
Oshiomhole made these remarks in response to the Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024, which upheld the financial autonomy of local governments.
Speaking at a forum on local government autonomy organised by the House of Representatives on Monday, the former Governor of Edo State underscored the importance of character in governance and the need for accountability.
He pointed out the significant responsibilities that local government chairmen bear, noting their direct connection with the people. Oshiomhole urged them to make prudent decisions in allocating resources to improve essential infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, and other public services.
In a lighter moment, Oshiomhole quipped, “It’s better to have 774 local government chairmen who are thieves than one big thief,” suggesting that with financial autonomy, each local government in Nigeria could potentially produce one or two billionaires, as opposed to only having one billionaire in the state.
