Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed strong support for the Supreme Court’s recent decision granting full financial autonomy to local government councils. Speaking at the public presentation of Navigating the Politics of Universal Education Policies in Nigeria, a book by former Ekiti State Deputy Governor Modupe Adelabu, Shettima emphasized that this move is expected to significantly enhance the nation’s universal basic education system.
The Vice President highlighted that the financial independence of local governments, which play a crucial role in providing primary education, will help overcome the financial constraints that have previously hampered alignment with the government’s educational policies.
However, Shettima cautioned against potential abuses of this newfound autonomy, stressing the need for responsible management of funds to ensure that the benefits are realized effectively.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment, which mandates the Federal Government to directly allocate 20.60% of the monthly revenue to the accounts of the 774 local government councils, around 15 states have either conducted or announced local government elections in the past month. This ruling also prohibits governors from dissolving democratically elected local councils, reinforcing the stability and autonomy of local governance.
Shettima assured Nigerians that the ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu are aimed at addressing systemic inadequacies and ideological barriers that have impeded universal education in the country.
