A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Ubani, has accused state governments of undermining grassroots development by allegedly diverting and withholding funds meant for local government councils, warning that the practice is deepening poverty in rural communities.
Ubani, who spoke during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, said the persistent hardship across rural Nigeria was not incidental but a direct consequence of systemic interference in the disbursement of statutory allocations to local governments.
The legal practitioner and immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law stated that although the Constitution provides for financial autonomy for local councils, the reality on the ground reflects a breakdown in fiscal responsibility among the tiers of government.
He said, “The suffering experienced in rural communities across Nigeria is not accidental but linked to systemic interference with local government funds.”
Ubani maintained that the withholding or redirection of council funds has crippled development at the grassroots, leaving critical sectors such as primary healthcare, basic education, and rural infrastructure in a deplorable state.
According to him, if allocations due to local governments were released as intended, many of the development deficits in rural areas would be significantly addressed.
“If the state governors are releasing the money meant for local governments, Nigeria would be a beautiful country,” he said.
He lamented that the erosion of local government autonomy had weakened the tier of government closest to the people, forcing many rural dwellers to migrate to urban centres in search of basic amenities and opportunities.
Ubani further alleged that state-level control of local government funds has distorted governance priorities, resulting in dependency and inefficiency at the grassroots.
He stressed that the absence of functional local councils has created a governance vacuum, which he said is directly responsible for worsening poverty levels in rural communities.
Highlighting the urgent need for reform, the Senior Advocate called for a shift in development focus towards basic infrastructure, particularly rural roads and electricity, rather than what he described as “misplaced priorities” on large-scale projects.
“What Nigerians require is just good roads and light, especially in the rural areas,” he added.
Ubani argued that proper funding and autonomy for local governments would stimulate rural economies, reduce pressure on urban centres, and bridge the widening inequality gap between urban and rural populations.
He also raised concerns over weak accountability and transparency mechanisms in the management of public funds across various levels of government, noting that Nigeria’s development challenges stem more from poor resource management than from scarcity.
“There is so much money being allocated, but the local governments are not getting it,” he said.
Ubani concluded that strengthening local government autonomy and ensuring the proper utilisation of funds at the grassroots level remain critical to reversing rural hardship and achieving balanced national development.
He added, “Nigerians are not lazy; they only need the right environment and infrastructure to thrive.”
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