NULGE Slams State Governors Over Local Governments System Failure In Nigeria

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Rabiu Omaku

  • Calls For The Scrapping Of State Electoral Umpire

The national president of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee, Comrade Ibraheem Kaleel has slammed state governors over the predicament of the local government system, calling for the autonomy of the third tier of government.

The national president hinted this when the national executive of the Association north-central states converged in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital to proffer solution to the lingering impasses between state governors and the local government system.

Comrade Kaleel who led the multitude of protesting workers expressed displeasure over percentage salary by chief executives in their various local governments; he itemized some of the grievances of NULGE to include.

Reasons for the Peaceful Protest in Nasarawa State are as follows:

  1. Abolition of State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), stating that scrapping of such body would give rise to credible elections at the third tier of government.
  2. Scrapping of Joint Account Committee of Local Government as he described the Joint Account Committee as a conduit pipe to siphon local government fund through dubious means.
  3. NULGE also sues for the recognition of Local Government Service Commission and office of the Auditor General for Local Government in the constitution.
  4. Adequate care be given to the traditional institution
  5. Payment of constitutional 10% Internally Generated Revenue by state government to Local Government Councils
  6. Payment of primary schools as at when due
  7. Agitated for full autonomy instead of the status of local government as an appendage of the state.

He identified the bottlenecks of local government as a total mirage, appealing to the Nasarawa state House of Assembly to accord topmost attention to the current plight of the masses.

The Deputy speaker, Godiya Akwashiki commended the Association for exhibiting maturity in pursuing a common goal; he attested that the present change mantra would only be feasible through full autonomy.

He described Nasarawa state as the laboratory of change, assuring the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee of the unflinching support to the scrapping of State Electoral Commission, saying the Nasarawa State House of Assembly is in the same page with NULGE.

The peace protest started from Lafia township stadium amidst tight security and terminate at the Assembly complex Lafia, the peace comprises of states from the north-central states of Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Niger, FCT Abuja, Kwara and Nasarawa state being the host state.

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