Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has alleged that local government chairmen are more corrupt than governors. According to Ngige, many council chairmen prioritize acquiring luxurious properties in Abuja, Lagos, and abroad rather than focusing on their responsibilities.
Ngige expressed this view during the 29th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria (NAUS), held in Enugu. Speaking on the topic, “Local Government Administration and Primary Healthcare,” he criticized the Supreme Court’s judgment on financial autonomy for local governments, calling it a mistake that overlooked Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution.
He revealed that over 15,000 primary healthcare centers had been constructed across the country as constituency projects but lamented their abandonment due to poor management. He urged State Economic Planning Boards to take urgent steps to rehabilitate these centers, emphasizing their crucial role in delivering basic healthcare services.
Ngige also accused council chairmen of neglecting public health centers and schools while owing teachers months of unpaid salaries. He highlighted how their excessive desire for luxury has derailed local governance and development.
He referenced a 2006 Supreme Court ruling, under former Chief Justice Mohammed Uwais, which warned the Federal Government against dictating how states should spend local government funds. Ngige noted that recent rulings, however, have emboldened mismanagement at the local government level.
He advocated for statutory first-line deductions to ensure salaries, pensions, traditional rulers’ entitlements, and customary court allowances are paid before funds are handed to council chairmen. According to him, a functional local government system depends on governors following the law and Houses of Assembly fulfilling their oversight responsibilities.
