Professor Samson Erugo (SAN), a prominent law professor, has clarified the status of workers employed by Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), stating they remain legitimate employees of the respective states where they operate. His comments came in response to the Supreme Court’s recent judgment granting financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Nigeria.

In a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Erugo emphasized that while LCDAs are creations of state laws and not recognized by the constitution, the employees of these councils are nonetheless legitimate state employees.

“The fate of the LCDA workers therefore seems arguable and has always been so because the LCDAs are not established under the constitution,” Erugo explained. “So, strictly speaking, they are not employees of the LGAs, but of the states. They remain legitimate employees of the respective states within the recognized LGAs, under which they serve.”

Erugo noted that there is no inherent issue with states creating development areas; the problem arises when states attempt to fund these areas with federal allocations meant for the recognized LGAs. “In cases of such illegitimate sharing before now, the desirable change has come with the Supreme Court judgment. However, in any case, the workers are protected,” he said.

Adding to the discussion, Mr. Chris Ayiyi, Principal Partner at Ayiyi Chambers, reflected on the historical context of LCDAs. He mentioned that the current President of Nigeria introduced LCDAs during his tenure as governor of Lagos State. At that time, it was argued that LCDAs might not last due to the lack of federal funding.

“When Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode was governor of Lagos, he used the state resources to fund the LCDAs,” Ayiyi recalled. He expressed confidence that LCDA workers would continue to be supported through internally generated revenue from their respective states, despite the Supreme Court ruling.

“My worry is the clash between the LCDAs and the recognized LGAs. The states should implement the order of the Supreme Court,” Ayiyi concluded.

The insights from these legal experts highlight the ongoing complexities and implications of the Supreme Court’s decision on financial autonomy for LGAs and the operational future of LCDAs across Nigeria. [NAN]