Members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Ekiti State have staged a rally through Ado Ekiti, the state capital, to canvass for support for local government autonomy.
The NULGE members and leaders were joined by other labour unions in the state in their call for autonomy for local governments, saying it was time to make it happen.
The national treasurer of NULGE, Mr. Akeem Ambali, had led other leaders of the union, including its president in the state, Mr. Bunmi Ajimoko and they were joined by the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Mr. Raymond Ade Adesanmi.
They had marched from the secretariat of the union at Iyin Road through Fajuyi and Bank Road to the state’s House of Assembly, where the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, received them.
Oluwawole also received a letter from the rallying local government workers which was presented to him by the NULGE national officer, Mr. Ambali.
Ambali explained that local government autonomy would aid rapid grassroots development and that “it will reduce drastically the high rate of unemployment and insecurity.”
The NULGE chief added that local government autonomy would “ensure accountability and transparency” and “the stoppage of unconstitutional deductions from local government allocations/diversion of same for whatever purposes.”
Ajimoko said the rally was to sensitise the people of the state on the need to support the agitation, and also to put the Ekiti House of Assembly on notice as the documents of the amendment of the 1999 constitution is being awaited to arrive there.
He called for the support of the members of the assembly and the people of the state to support local government autonomy for overall national development.
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