NULGE insists on local government autonomy

The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees Wednesday demanded autonomy for local governments.

NULGE President Olatunji Ambali, at a press conference in Abuja, said the Independent National Electoral Commission should be empowered to conduct council elections.

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He said the creation of state electoral commissions had resulted in a lot of abuse and a lack of transparency in the conduct of council elections.

“What they’re doing now is coronation, appointment and promotion of political jobbers and cronies into local government administration, thereby creating an avenue to siphon council resources.”

Ambali said NULGE was also clamouring for financial autonomy for the councils.

“So, council allocations should be directly paid to their account. The lacuna in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) called the joint allocation account is no longer acceptable to Nigerians and NULGE.

“It must be scrapped, because it gives room for stealing and diversion of council funds by politicians at the state level.”

He asked state governors to seek God and Nigerians’ forgiveness for allegedly destroying the local government system.

He said the insecurity would not end soon “if there’s consistent rape of the local government system by cabals and politicians.”