Lagos Assembly Speaker assures that the 37 LCDAs will not be scrapped, with a new bill set to enhance local government administration.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has reassured Lagosians that there are no plans to scrap the state’s 37 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs).

Addressing concerns during a public hearing on the amendment to the Local Government Administration law, Obasa made it clear that the LCDAs, which play a vital role in grassroots governance, are here to stay.

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Obasa, represented by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, stressed the importance of the hearing, which took place on Thursday.

“We are gathered here to consider and reflect on a bill that seeks to further enhance how our third tier of government should be administered,” he said.

The Speaker reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to the LCDAs, emphasising that they remain an integral part of the state’s governance structure.

“The LCDAs have come to stay and they would remain so by the special grace of God. Nobody is killing the LCDAs,” Obasa declared.

He urged Lagosians to rally behind their representatives at the national level to ensure the LCDAs are formally recognised in the Nigerian Constitution.

The Speaker also reminded attendees of the Supreme Court judgement regarding the LCDAs, noting that the state government followed proper procedures in their creation.

He called on lawmakers and the public alike to take proactive measures in safeguarding the LCDAs’ future.

The proposed amendment bill aims to consolidate all existing laws related to local government administration in Lagos State.

It seeks to streamline operations and ensure that local governments function optimally with a clear separation of powers.

The bill has successfully passed its preliminary stages and is now undergoing public scrutiny to gather input for further refinement.

One notable provision of the bill is the introduction of a fixed four-year tenure for elected local government officials. This, according to Obasa, addresses past ambiguities surrounding the length of office terms for these positions.

The bill also outlines procedures for the declaration of assets, nomination and removal of local government chairmen, and the delineation of executive powers.

Section 4(3) of the bill specifies that the 20 local governments in Lagos State will have designated Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), which will be listed in the first schedule of the law to ensure effective administration.

Additionally, Section 4(1) affirms that the 37 LCDAs, created under the 2004 local government law, will continue to operate.

During the hearing, Lagos-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, raised concerns over certain clauses in the bill, suggesting that more input was necessary to ensure its legality and effectiveness.

Banire argued that, according to the Supreme Court, state governors do not have the authority to remove council chairmen, and that such matters should be handled by local councillors.

However, Banire’s stance was challenged by former Deputy Speaker Hon. Kolawole Taiwo, who defended the Assembly’s powers.

Taiwo pointed out that the creation of the LCDAs had already been upheld in court and that they continue to function, despite not yet being formally listed in the constitution.

Hon. Funmilayo Tejuoso, another former Deputy Speaker, echoed Taiwo’s position. She likened the LCDAs to a child without a name, stating, “When you have a child that does not have a name, does it mean that the child is dead? It simply means that the LCDAs are still existing.”

Several stakeholders at the hearing voiced their support for the continued existence of the LCDAs. Imam Ibrahim Tijani from Itire-Ikate and Ajose Agbejoye, a prominent community leader, both emphasised the positive impact the LCDAs have on local governance.

Adeniyi Olutimehin, President of the Greater Lagos Initiative, also appealed to the Assembly, urging them to allow the LCDAs to continue functioning regardless of any amendments made to the bill.