Give Local Government Real Fiscal Power

The Local Legislature controls the lawful LGA budget, the LGA Director may spend only what is authorised, public-service guarantees at Neighbourhood, Ward and LGA level must appear in the public budget before money moves, Federation Account allocations standing to the credit of Local Governments go directly to the democratically elected councils entitled to them without intermediate control, and LGAs may raise transparent own-source revenue from lawful Local bases.

Every rate must be published, every lawful payment must produce a verifiable receipt and taxpayers must have a clear route to challenge unlawful or arbitrary demands; lawful LGA contributions to a Geo-economic Zone must be visible in both LGA and Zonal accounts, the Zone has no general taxing power, and detailed rate-setting, treasury, accounting, appeal, transition and contribution mechanics belong in the relevant Fiscal and Local Government Policy Papers.

There is no caretaker committee in place of democratic Local Government: real Local Government must control lawful resources transparently, avoid overlapping or invisible local extraction, and answer to the citizens whose money it raises and spends.