LG Autonomy: NULGE Battles Govs

Angered by the attitude of the 36 governors in the country over the issue of autonomy for local government, the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has threatened to mobilise Nigerians across the six geo-political zones of the country to resist the governors’ alleged selfish plot against local government autonomy.

President of Edo state chapter of NULGIE, Patrick Okeranlen disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, southwest Nigeria. He added that sensitization rallies to foil attempt to subvert the peoples’ would been organised by the union across the six geo-political zones.

“From all the public hearing that was done in each of the zones outside the one sponsored by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, you will agree with me that the people are resolute that local government should be given a pride of place, that is to say they should be given autonomy. Out of millions of people in this country how can the governors say otherwise to jeopardize our effort? We will resist it,” Okeranlen said.

He expressed displeasure over alleged manipulation of State Houses of Assembly by some governors to enact laws that further strip the councils of their constitutional powers, citing the non remittance of 10 percent internally generated state revenue by governors to local government councils as a breach of the 1999 Constitution.

According to him, autonomy remains the panacea to grassroots development in any democracy. “Invariably what other states are doing apart from Rivers state, is to even take the one the federal government has given and not to add the 10 percent internally generated revenue before allocating it to the councils and after subtracting Governor Adams teachers’ salaries what is left is not able to cater for salaries of councils staff  who are supposed to be the major beneficiaries not to talk of development,” Comrade Okeranlen said.

He appealed to Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole not to emulate hls fellow governors but obey the constitution by remitting the 10 percent IGR to the local governments as at when due.

He commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the decision to conduct local government election billed for 20 April this year and urged him to provide a level playing field for all the political parties.

—Jethro Ibileke/Benin