The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development to design a framework that will guarantee independent financing for local government legislatures across the state.

The Assembly further urged the governor to back full council autonomy and support capacity-building programmes for councillors, particularly in the area of financial management.

The resolutions followed a motion moved by Hon. Sani Okanlawon (Kosofe I), who argued that financial independence for local government legislatures is crucial to strengthening grassroots democracy.

He stressed that while the 1999 Constitution recognizes the legislative arm of local councils as a vital democratic institution responsible for law-making, oversight and representation, the reality is that most councillors remain financially dependent on the executive arm, thereby weakening the principle of separation of powers.

To address this, the House directed its Committee on Local Government Administration, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development to commence work on legislation that would make council legislatures self-accounting.

Supporting the motion, Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa decried reports that some former council chairmen still exercise control over council finances through Council Managers and Treasurers who retain signatory rights even after leadership transitions.

He said such practices undermine good governance and insist that relevant stakeholders must be summoned to resolve the anomaly.

Lawmakers took turns also to support the motion. Hon. Solomon Bonu (Badagry I) praised President Bola Tinubu for promoting grassroots democracy, while Hon. Desmond Elliot (Surulere I) noted that the Assembly’s reform agenda would remain incomplete without granting financial autonomy to local council legislatures.

Also contributing, Hon. Akinsanya Nureni (Mushin II) maintained that financial independence would allow institutions to function responsibly without undue external influence, adding that the Lagos Assembly continues to lead by example in championing legislative best practices