NULGE urges NUT to support local govt autonomy

Mr Leonard Nkah, the President, Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ebonyi chapter, has appealed to Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), to support the agitation for local government autonomy.

Nkah made the appeal on Monday in Abuja, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He was reacting to stepping down of voting on local government autonomy by some state house of assemblies on the grounds that NUT was opposed to the autonomy.

NUT was opposed to effect the changes in the constitution review, on the grounds that local government councils lacked the capacity to fund primary education, and that non-payment of teachers’ salaries would become rampant.

Nkah said that the fiscal autonomy of the local government would not in any way be a stumbling block to the development of primary education and prompt payment of teachers’ salaries.

“No sane person can come up with a legislation that will toy with the future of the Nigerian child.

“ NUT should support the fiscal autonomy of local government and make its input on the way forward.

“Granting autonomy to local governments will be beneficial to all Nigerians as it will boost development at the grassroots,’’ he said.

Nkah pleaded with state assemblies, including Ebonyi House of Assembly that stood down voting on local government autonomy, to support the amendment.

He said that the lawmakers should not understand local government autonomy to mean a tier that would exist in a different world and have nothing to do with the state government.

On the 40th anniversary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nkah showered praises on the founding fathers of the union.

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He said that they fought doggedly to ensure that workers were given a platform to propagate their aspirations and champion their welfare.

Nkah urged contemporary labour leaders to continue in the same spirit and shun any act that would make them perform below expectations.