Key Points from the Amendment of the Lagos State Law on Local Government Administration.

Edited.

Among other amendments, I have found these to be some of the key areas that have generated debates from different quarters before the release of these consolidated amendments.

1. There remain 20 LG as recognised by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

2. There shall be 37 Area Administrative Councils, formerly recognised as Local Council Development Areas (LCDA).

3. To head each Area Administrative Council, an Administrative Secretary shall be appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

4. The functions of the Area Administrative Council shall include;

a. Every duty of the Local Government in its area of delineation.

b. Any duty assigned by the Law of the House

c. Executive Directive from Governor of the State.

5. The State shall maintain a special account, to be called the State Joint Local Government Account into which will be paid, all allocations from the Federation Account and the Government of the State.

6. The following will be a first charge on funds received by the State Government from the Federation Account for the benefit of Local Government Councils in Lagos State -

(a) Salaries, allowances and other benefits of all employees and other personnel of the Local Government Service Commission; and

(b) Payments due for essential local services, including the collection and disposal of refuse:

7. An Area Administrative Council may employ such staff as it may consider necessary for the optimal execution of its development programme.

8. An Area Administrative Council will retain all the rights, interests, obligations and liabilities which became vested in or attached to it under any contract or instrument, or in law or equity, at the time it was operating as a Local Government Area;

9. Subject to the provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission Act, the State Electoral Commission shall divide each Local Government Area into such number of wards, not being less than twelve (12) or more than forty (40), as the circumstances of each Local Government Area may require.

10. The Local Government Council shall have the power to create more wards in addition to the existing wards in the State and there shall be appointed more councillors to oversee such wards.

11. The boundaries of each ward will be such that the number of inhabitants of the ward is as nearly equal to the population quota of the ward as is reasonably practicable.

Now, we know where elections will be held and where appointments are to be expected.

We also know how Allocations from the Federation Accounts will be disbursed.