Dismantle JAAC to grow LG economy, democracy - CCIDESOR

The Nigeria CSOs Situation Room and the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR) has advocated for the scrapping of Joint Allocation Account Committee in all the states of Federation to free locally government councils from the strangleholds of state governments.

The civil society group said that despite the 2025 supreme Court decision that granted political freedom for councils, JAAC has remained a major stumbling block to the economic emancipation of the local government system.

It stress that the councils have been unable to perform development projects because the states allegedly mop up local government funds through JAAC.

In a quarterly press briefing in Enugu, CCIDESOR's coordinator, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu stated that the freeing of local Government Administrative, Political and Fiscal Autonomy in Nigeria would be a recipe for economic recovery.

Ononamadu stated that local Governments are the closest tier of government to the people, which If properly empowered, can drive Nigeria’s economic recovery in several ways such as in rural development, employment generation, basic social services and grassroots democracy.

He however noted that the missing link is the political will to implement the supreme Court judgment which analysts attribute constitutional ambiguities and political resistance from state governments.

"Yet this challenge is not insurmountable. The President, working with the National Assembly of Nigeria, has the political influence and institutional support required to ensure the effective implementation of Local Government autonomy.

"Indeed, many governors and lawmakers belong to the ruling party and are expected to support this reform if the political will exists.

"The Way Forward is urgent full implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government autonomy; Direct payment of LGA allocations from the Federation Account to Local Governments; Constitutional amendments to remove ambiguities around the Joint Account system.

"There is also need for strengthening of Local Government accountability mechanisms, including transparency in budgeting, procurement, and citizen oversight; Guaranteeing democratic elections for Local Governments across all states.

"Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful economic recovery without empowering its Local Governments. The resources are available. The legal framework is emerging. The Supreme Court has spoken. The President has raised the alarm. What remains now is decisive political action," Ononamadu said.