The Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (CILGPAN) has renewed its call for the full implementation of local government autonomy as provided in the Constitution.
The institute made the appeal during the induction of 369 new fellows, associates, and members in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday.
CILGPAN President, Prof. Adekunle Awotokun, represented by the Vice-President, Prof. Frederick Eze, urged the inductees to uphold integrity, professionalism, and transparency in public service. He expressed confidence that ongoing legislative efforts toward granting full autonomy to local governments would soon materialize.
“There’s currently a disconnect between local and state governments,” he said. “But with the steps being taken by the National Assembly, we believe the local governments will soon gain full control to initiate projects and manage their funds in line with the Constitution.”
Awotokun noted that professionalisation within local government systems, particularly in Rivers State, has improved service delivery and accountability, adding that the induction aligns with CILGPAN’s mandate to build a competent local government workforce.
Registrar of the institute, Dr. Uche Okereke, disclosed that about 300 of the inductees passed the institute’s professional examination before qualification. He said the cohort included 106 fellows, five associates, and 258 members, all of whom earned recognition through rigorous assessment.
“Local government autonomy remains our goal because it will unlock massive grassroots development if councils can manage their finances directly,” Okereke said. He reaffirmed CILGPAN’s collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in advocating for governance reforms at the grassroots level.
One of the inductees, Mrs. Gold Badom, described the recognition as “a call to greater service and accountability,” commending the institute for sustaining professionalism in local administration.
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