Former Labour and Employment Minister, Senator Chris Ngige, has raised concerns about the level of corruption among local government chairmen in Nigeria, claiming that some are even more corrupt than state governors. Speaking at the 29th annual general meeting and scientific conference of the Association of Urological Surgeons in Enugu, Ngige highlighted how some local government chairmen prioritize personal luxuries, such as acquiring estates in Abuja, Lagos, and abroad, over the development of essential public services in their communities. He pointed out that local areas suffer from underfunded public health centres and schools, with teachers frequently facing months of unpaid salaries.
Ngige also lamented the neglect of over 15,000 primary healthcare centres that were constructed as constituency projects across the country, urging State Economic Planning Boards to prioritize their refurbishment. He emphasized the importance of the local government system in providing basic healthcare, recalling how former Health Minister, Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, transformed the system into a primary healthcare model.
The former minister also called for a reconsideration of a Supreme Court ruling on local government financial autonomy. He argued that the judgment, which limits the autonomy of local governments, is in violation of the 1999 Constitution and undermines Section 7, which places local governments under the control of states. Ngige recalled a 2006 Supreme Court decision that cautioned the federal government against dictating how local government funds should be spent by states.
Ngige expressed opposition to the direct payment of federal allocations to local governments without first-line deductions for salaries, pensions, and allowances, asserting that the Supreme Court’s ruling goes against the Constitution. He further criticized the failure of local government systems across Nigeria, blaming it on the inactivity of the Houses of Assembly and the failure of governors to implement constitutional provisions, such as establishing democratically elected councils and economic planning boards.
He also pointed to the role of governors in exacerbating the problem, accusing them of misappropriating council funds for personal gain. Ngige insisted that for the local government system to function effectively, governors must comply with the law and the Houses of Assembly must hold them accountable. Reflecting on his own experience as Anambra State governor, Ngige recalled that many council chairmen during his tenure owed months of salaries, pensions, and allowances, a problem he said was widespread across the nation.