NULGE seeks NASS support for LG autonomy

The  National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called on the National Assembly  to support  true federalism that guarantees the autonomy of local government administration in the country. NULGE national president, Ibrahim Khaleel Abdulkadir, made this appeal when he led a delegation of the union on a visit to the House of Representatives in […]

The  National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called on the National Assembly  to support  true federalism that guarantees the autonomy of local government administration in the country.
NULGE national president, Ibrahim Khaleel Abdulkadir, made this appeal when he led a delegation of the union on a visit to the House of Representatives in Abuja.
He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the ongoing fight against corruption in the country to the local government councils, adding that the union was in total support of the fight against corruption.
He said that the main challenges facing NULGE were the continuous encroachment and diversion of local government funds by the state governments and that the union would continue with the struggle for the emancipation of the LGAs.
He said the state governments imposed political structures at the council areas that most times negated the principle of democracy, alleging that the state governments manipulated the state Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) during council elections thereby subverting the will of the people.
Responding, House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, assured the NULGE members that the House would do everything within its powers to ensure that the council areas were granted autonomy.
The speaker who was represented by his deputy, Yussuf Lasun, said that local government councils should be free and autonomous as they bridged the gap between government and the people at the grassroots.
He advised them to engage seasoned legal practitioners to study the Nigerian Constitution so as to explore all available opportunities to put in place the framework that will help to realise their quest.