The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has raised an urgent alarm regarding the continued erosion of Local Government (LG) autonomy, citing it as a primary driver behind the rise of social deviancy and unemployment among Nigerian youths.
Addressing members of the press at his private residence in Bende over the weekend, Kalu cautioned that the financial and administrative constraints placed on local councils have created a dangerous void. He argued that this environment prioritizes the recruitment of youths for political propaganda over their empowerment for national growth.”
Hon. Kalu highlighted a troubling trend where the lack of local resources prevents councils from creating sustainable jobs. In this void, many youths are being recruited as digital mercenaries, or “e-rats,” paid to propagate insults and social media attacks against political opponents.
“When we hand over tablets to young people to sit at home and earn money based on how many insults they hurl at the opposition, you are creating monsters who will end up fighting us later,” Kalu stated. “You are under-developing the youth and turning them into deviants.”
Legislative Action and Constitutional Alignment
The Deputy Speaker reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to ensuring the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement on LG autonomy is fully implemented. He noted that the legislature is currently fine-tuning existing laws and constitutional amendments to embolden local governments to manage their own affairs.
Key benefits of a functional local government system identified by the Deputy Speaker include:
Job Creation: Enabling LGs to control resources and provide platforms for meaningful youth engagement.
Reduced Burden on Governors: Allowing State Executives to focus on broader development while LGs handle grassroots needs.
Enhanced Legislative Focus: Permitting Federal lawmakers to focus on their core oversight and law-making duties rather than filling the service delivery gaps left by weak local systems.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, implementation remains a challenge due to resistance at various levels of state governance. Hon. Kalu emphasized that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully committed to autonomy as a catalyst for local prosperity.
“If the constitutional court of the land has taken a decision, it should be recognized,” Kalu asserted. “If the local governments were working efficiently, there would be less for us to do at the federal level, and our constituents would not be left to suffer.”
