40th year Anniversary: NULGE restates call for passage of LG autonomy bill

THE National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has again called on states House of Assembly that has not passed the autonomy bill including Anambra State House of Assembly to as a matter of urgency do so without further delay in the interest of grassroots development.

The Anambra State Chairman of NULGE, Comrade Jerry Nnubia, also called for a transparent public hearing on local government autonomy without hesitation in the State.

Nnubia, who made the call yesterday during the union 40th year Anniversary at NULGE secretariat Awka, the Anambra State Capital, said passage of the bill will give room for inclusiveness, good governance, accountability and delivery of democracy dividends to the people at the grassroots.

On the challenges facing NULGE as a union and the local government system as a tier of government, the chairman said it is constitutional, according to him, “The 1999 constitution (section 162) (6) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which provides for State Local Government Joint Account (JAAC), creation of State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and non recognition of Local Government Service Commission by the constitution has created a lot of loopholes that hitherto hindered the proper functioning of the local government system as a tier of government.

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“These provisions among others gave impetus to State Governments to hijack the running of the affairs of the local government councils including their finances according to their whims and caprices. This ugly situation, he stressed has rendered the local government very ineffective in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities to the rural dwellers.”

Despite the effort of the National Assembly who has since passed the autonomy bill, the Governors and States House of Assembly connived to not allow the bill sail through, and NULGE shall not rest until victory is assured, he added.

Also on the state workers welfare, Comrade Nnubia, who is also the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), called on the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to scrapped forthwith the Contributory Pension Scheme, saying the scheme has no beneficiary tendency.

According to him, since 2014 when the law of Contributory was passed in the State, the government has continued to deduct the salaries of workers in the State in the name of the scheme without remitting same and that of government counterpart contribution to the appropriate quarters. It is also evident that the state government has not put up any structural framework as provided by the extant laws, for the scheme to succeed in the state.

He, therefore, demanded that all deductions made so far from workers salaries in favour of the scheme be refunded without delay.

Other demand includes payment of Arrears of Gratuity owed to Pensioners who retired from Local Government Service and Primary Schools from 2016 till date, among others.

He commended the National Officers under the leadership of the National President Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel for his
leadership/managerial qualities that had let Union to where it is today.

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), was formed by people working in the same industry, which include; Teachers, railwaymen, civil servants, mine workers, nurses, among others on February 17th 1941 and registered September 2nd 1942 under trade union ordinance of 1938.