Local govt autonomy: NULGE to embark on nationwide protest

The President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees  (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khalee, said on Wednesday that local governments workers across the federation will soon embark on a nationwide protest to support the efforts by the National Assembly, to grant both administrative and financial autonomy to local governments in the country.

Already, he hinted that the union, with support from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has concluded plans for the nationwide protest, adding that the time is now ripe for Nigerians to do everything to support the National Assembly to grant autonomy to the Local Government Areas .

The President of NULGE, who spoke on the outcome of the Union’s National Executive Council (NEC), meeting held in Abuja and NULGE visit to the National Assembly, said the protest would be used to sensitize the members of the state assemblies on the desirability of local government autonomy.

According to him, the protests is one of the advocacy activities mapped out to ensure that the local government areas are financially and administratively autonomous in line with the global standard practice.

The NULGE President said: “One of the demands at the United Nations meeting was that the LGAs across the world be made to be autonomous in line with the democratic principles.”

He said the members of the unions have sanctioned advocacy protests across the six geopolitical zones of the country at the designated centres.

Khaleel mentioned the centres to include Calabar, Cross River State in the South-South;  Enugu, Enugu State in the South East; Oshogbo, Osun state in South West;  Ilorin, Kwara State in North Central;  Jalingo, Taraba State in North East and North West zone.

He said the union at the state and local government levels will also conduct similar protest; and he assured that the union will collaborate with the National Assembly to ensure that the LGAs autonomy becomes a reality.