“Nonetheless, if Governor Sule decides to leave the matter swept under the carpet, the damage would linger for a long time and undermine his credibility as well as weaken the judgment of the Supreme Court and the entire push for local government financial autonomy”.
BY AHMED TUKUR
Barely months after the Supreme Court granted full autonomy to Nigeria’s Local Government’s Councils, fresh allegations of “percentage salary” payments in Nasarawa State have triggered outrage and cast doubt on the state government’s commitment to transparency.
Governor Abdullahi A. Sule, who pledged transparency and accountability, must prove that autonomy without accountability is not an empty promise as the controversy could become a litmus test for his administration.
When the Supreme Court finally granted full autonomy to Nigeria’s local governments, I, like many others, welcomed it with relief. It felt like the long-awaited key to unlocking development at the grassroots. For too long, local councils had been strangled by state government’s interference, leaving them weak, underfunded, and unable to serve the people who needed them most.
To me and many concerned Nigerians, the underdevelopment at the Local Government Areas, is not the only obstacle, but lack of genuine democratic process is yet another challenge hampering development.
I was particularly encouraged when Nasarawa State, under Governor Abdullahi Sule, quickly aligned with the judgement of the Supreme Court granting the Council’s full financial autonomy. The administration’s assurances of transparency and accountability sounded genuine, and citizens dared to hope that a new era for local governance was about to begin.
However, that optimism is now clouded as the recent allegations that local government workers in Nasarawa are being paid only a percentage of their salaries have cast a long shadow. Even though the government has denied it, the very fact that such claims could take root so quickly, says a lot about the trust deficit between the people and those in power.
For Governor Sule, this is no small matter. It is a defining moment for his administration. Allegations of percentage salaries go to the heart of the Supreme Court’s ruling: what use is autonomy if workers are not even paid their due? To dismiss the issue lightly would be a grave mistake.
A high-powered committee should be set up by the State government to investigate the matter and must not be reduced to a symbolic gesture. It is my firm view that it should have the freedom and resources to dig deep, trace every naira, and at the end make its findings public. Anything short of that would be a betrayal of the people’s faith.
At the end of the day, citizens are not asking for miracles, but desire to know if the Council workers are being paid full minimum wage or short changed and or, how much revenue has been generated since the current Council chairmen assumed office and where the money has gone?
I believe that these are straightforward questions, and all that matter are begging for quick answers, of which in a functioning democracy, they should not even be up for debate.
This crisis also presents an opportunity for transparency, accountability in Governor Sule’s administration. If he handles it decisively by holding wrongdoers accountable and committing to open financial disclosure, he will not only restore public trust, but also strengthen his reputation as a reformer.
Again, it is my firm opinion that he could even set a new precedent for other states grappling with similar issues.
Nonetheless, if Governor Sule decides to leave the matter swept under the carpet, the damage would linger for a long time and undermine his credibility as well as weaken the judgment of the Supreme Court and the entire push for local government financial autonomy.
Governor Sule has often spoken about transparency and good governance. Now is the time to prove that those words are not just political slogans. The people of Nasarawa deserve nothing less than the truth—and the courage to act on it.
Autonomy without accountability is an empty promise.
…Ahmad Tukur is a public affairs commentator based in Lafia.
