THE Nigeria Union Of Local Government Employees (NULGE) South West zone, said the approval of local government autonomy will help put an end to the security challenges in most of the rural communities in the country.
The National Vice President of the Union in the southwest zone, Comrade Oluwadare Famofo, who stated this at the end of the NULGE meeting held in Akure, Ondo state capital, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors to ensure unhindered quick approval of Local government autonomy by the 36 state Houses of Assembly to facilitate adequate tackling of security challenges.
Famofo noted that majority of the killings by herdsmen are carried out in farms in rural areas, saying if local government authorities are well empowered financially and administratively, security challenges would be a thing of the past in the country.
He said since the majority of Nigerians including traditional rulers, were in support local government autonomy, it was mandatory for state governors to also back it.
Famofo who was accompanied by NULGE Presidents in Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo states, said granting autonomy to local government would enable Council chairmen to engage services of local vigilantes that would provide security.
He said, “Granting Local Government Autonomy at this time would go a long way in not only restore but improve socio-economic development of the nation, ensure National, Political and educational stabilities.”
The NULGE Vice President charged state lawmakers nationwide to hold public hearings on the ongoing constitution amendment to allow stakeholders to express their overwhelming support for the local government autonomy as approved by the National Assembly in July last year.
The union commended Benue and Cross River state Houses of Assembly for taking a lead in approving the local government autonomy after public hearings in two states.
He said, “The body, therefore, calls on the Nigerian masses, civil society groups, and religious clerics to throw their support for members of state Houses of Assembly to follow the path of Benue and Cross-River states by granting local government Autonomy at their respective States in the spirit of National development.”
Also speaking, the Ondo State President of NULGE, Comrade Bunmi Eniayewu said granting autonomy to local governments remained the fastest way to guarantee rapid growth at the grassroots and a viable Democratic process in the country.
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