Osun Assembly Passes Bill Preventing Politicians’ Control Over Local Government Bank Accounts
The Osun State House of Assembly on Friday passed the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Bill, 2025, in line with the principle of local government autonomy, which traditionally grants LGs full financial control.
By Olamide Tiamiyu
The Osun State House of Assembly on Friday passed the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Bill, 2025, in line with the principle of local government autonomy, which traditionally grants LGs full financial control.
Under the new legislation, chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors, and their political appointees will no longer have the authority to sign or approve withdrawals from Local Government Accounts.
The bill provides a legal framework for the opening, management, and oversight of Local Government Accounts in line with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers state assemblies to legislate on local government administration and finances.
It is designed to enhance accountability, curb financial misuse, and ensure strict adherence to statutory fiscal procedures at the grassroots level.
One of its key provisions transfers full signatory authority on all Local Government Accounts to the Directors of Finance and the Directors of Administration and General Services.
Political office holders and their appointees are expressly barred from serving as signatories, a measure widely interpreted as an effort to reduce political influence in local government financial operations.
Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, announced that a clean copy of the bill will be forwarded to the Governor for assent. Once signed into law, the legislation is expected to strengthen institutional integrity, promote prudent financial management, and enhance service delivery in Osun’s local government system.
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