The Bauchi State Government has expressed its readiness to fully implement the Supreme Court judgment mandating autonomy for Local Governments as the third tier of government.

The government arrived at the decision following a stakeholders’ consultative meeting chaired by Governor Bala Mohammed at the Banquet Hall of the Government House.

The gathering included Deputy Governor Auwal Jatau, Speaker of the House of Assembly Abubakar Suleiman and elected chairpersons of the state’s 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Aminu Hammayo, revealed that two Executive Bills would soon be presented to the State House of Assembly to outline the framework for implementing local government autonomy.

“Over the past six to seven months, local government autonomy has been a central issue across Nigeria, stemming from the Supreme Court judgment granting full autonomy to LGAs,” Hammayo stated.

He explained that the Governor deemed it essential to thoroughly examine the implications and processes required to establish a robust framework for implementing autonomy in Bauchi State.

The meeting featured discussions and presentations on topics such as local government administration, revenue generation, sharing formulas, and the current structural challenges.

Stakeholders engaged in debates and shared input, contributing to the development of two draft bills.

“These bills, presented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, include the Local Government Administration Bill 2025 and a proposed law for the state’s implementation of local government autonomy,” Hammayo disclosed.

The SSG noted that stakeholders had scrutinized the draft bills, offering feedback to refine the proposed legislation.

“The aim is to ensure that the final laws reflect diverse perspectives and serve as a comprehensive guide for implementing autonomy,” he added.

He assured that the bills would soon be submitted to the State House of Assembly for deliberation and eventual passage, aligning with the Supreme Court’s directive.

Bauchi set to implement local government autonomy following supreme court ruling