Senior Advocate of Nigeria Dr. Monday Ubani has accused state governments of diverting and withholding local government allocations, saying the practice is driving poverty in rural communities.
Speaking on “Frontline” on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ubani said the hardship at the grassroots is not accidental but the result of systemic interference with funds meant for local councils.
“The suffering experienced in rural communities across Nigeria is not accidental but linked to systemic interference with local government funds,” said Ubani, immediate past chairman of NBA-SPIDEL.
He argued that while the constitution entitles local governments to direct funding, the principle is being undermined in practice. When state governments withhold or redirect those funds, he said, development at the community level becomes impossible.
“If the state governors are releasing the money meant for local governments, Nigeria would be a beautiful country,” Ubani said. He noted that the lack of basic infrastructure has forced many rural residents to migrate to urban areas in search of services.
Ubani linked the situation to a breakdown in fiscal responsibility between tiers of government. He said the absence of functional local government autonomy has created a vacuum in grassroots governance, worsening poverty and weakening service delivery in healthcare, education, and rural infrastructure.
“What Nigerians require is just good roads and light, especially in the rural areas,” he said. With proper funding, he argued, local governments could deliver those needs effectively.
He called for an end to what he described as financial strangulation of local councils and urged emphasis on rural electrification and road connectivity over mega projects.
“Nigerians are not lazy,” Ubani added. “Citizens only need enabling infrastructure to thrive.”
