From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, will on Tuesday deliver the keynote address at a high-level policy dialogue on local government reforms in Abuja.
The event, convened by Nigerian think tank Agora Policy, will bring together top policymakers, academics, and civil society leaders to deliberate on how to improve the performance and relevance of the country’s 774 local councils. The conversation will review the implementation of the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgement on financial autonomy for local governments, one year after the ruling. The landmark judgement, delivered on Thursday, July 11, 2024, also mandated that local councils be run by democratically elected officials.
Founder of Agora Policy, Waziri Adio, in a statement on Monday, said the event presents an opportunity to reflect on the progress made since the Supreme Court ruling and to push for critical reforms that will strengthen local governance in the country.
According to him, “One year is a good time to take stock and to start thinking about far-reaching reforms aimed at ensuring that our local councils are well positioned to discharge their constitutional responsibilities and meet the expectations and needs of our citizens.”
The policy conversation is supported by the MacArthur Foundation and is organised by Agora Policy in partnership with the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), The Cable Newspapers, and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CFTPI).
Apart from Mr Edun, other guest speakers expected at the event include Dr Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation, Professor Diana Mitlin, the CEO of ACRC, Professor Remi Aiyede of the University of Ibadan, Ms Deborah Isser of the World Bank, Ms Cynthia Rowe of the British High Commission, and Ms Ojobo Atuluku, the Chair of Agora Policy.
The event will also feature a panel session to dissect the progress and challenges with the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling and to provide pathways for more effective, responsive, and accountable local administration in the country.
“The overall goal is to get critical stakeholders to focus on the imperative of root-and-branch reforms at the local level and how to make them happen. This is the second policy conversation by Agora Policy on local government reforms. Supported by the MacArthur Foundation and organised in partnership with five other civil society organisations, the first conversation was held on Monday, August 5, 2024, less than a month after the Supreme Court ruling. The theme of the event was ‘Enthroning Accountability in Local Governance in Nigeria’,” the statement added.
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