Osun Assembly Passes Bill to Strengthen Local Government Autonomy

The Osun State House of Assembly has passed two crucial bills to enhance local government autonomy. The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (Amendment 1) Bill, 2024, and the Osun State Local Government Areas (Creation & Administration) (Amendment 7) Bill, 2024, aim to align state legislation with the recent Supreme Court judgment upholding local government independence.

The bills’ primary objectives are to regulate the state’s electoral body, empower local government chairmen to appoint chief administrators, and grant them authority to make key appointments. This will enable them to effectively discharge their duties and strengthen local government autonomy.

The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission Bill will regulate elections in the 30 recognized local government areas, while the Local Government Creation and Administration Bill will enable chairmen to make appointments and work closely with chief administrators.

The passage of these bills marks a significant step towards bolstering local government autonomy and decision-making capabilities in Osun State. The legislation will now be sent to the state’s executive governor for assent.

This move aligns with the recent Supreme Court judgment upholding constitutional provisions for local government autonomy, granting them more financial and administrative independence from state governments.