Taraba gov unveils advisory committee on LG autonomy

• Published On: 15 July 2024 at 20:16

Taraba Governor Agbu Kefas inaugurated an advisory group on Monday to guide the state administration in implementing the Supreme Court's decision upholding financial autonomy for local government councils across the country.

Kefas, who inaugurated the committee at the Exco chambers of the Taraba Government House in Jalingo, tasked it with developing a road map for the judgment's implementation.

Kefas stated that the event was a watershed moment in the state's transition to a more democratic, responsible, and efficient governing structure, and that the decision is consistent with his commitment to decentralisation and local empowerment.

The governor stated that he informed the state Bureau for Local Government, Traditional and Chieftaincy activities in April that local government chairpersons should be fully responsible for managing the joint account and other administrative activities in their districts.


"This directive is not simply a policy change. It represents a significant step toward actual autonomy and self-governance for our local governments. It also enables them to make decisions that directly affect the well-being of our people, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively to satisfy local needs.

"The formation of this advisory council demonstrates our firm commitment to developing local governments in Taraba State.

"I have no doubt that with the combined effort of this committee, the Bureau for Local Government, Traditional and Chieftaincy Affairs and all stakeholders, we will achieve our vision of decentralised, empowered and prosperous Taraba," he told journalists.


Abel Diah, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the current Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Traditional Affairs, will lead the committee, with Ezekiel Polycarp serving as secretary.

Other members are Timothy Kataps, the Secretary to the Government of the State; Hassan Aminu, the state head of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria; Yakubu Maikasuwa, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Lilian Jonathan; and Bala Hussein.