The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has organised a nationwide prayer for the actualization of local government autonomy in the country.
Addressing the Abuja Municipal Area Council workers (AMAC), in Abuja, the NULGE President, Olatunji Ambali, said the prayer was been organised simultaneously across the 774 local governments areas in the country.
Amalia said that full political and financial autonomy if achieved could help to address all the challenges bedevilling the nation, as all the problems are local.
“We are here to pray for a better Nigeria. This crusade is not only for the clamour for a minimum wage rather, we are proving to the world that NULGE consists of patriotic Nigerians who mean well for this nation, who think and pray for the existence and progress of the Local Government.
“Everyone can testify that Local Governments have been raped over time. It has witnessed systematic destruction as a result of misrule, diverting and stealing of local government funds. Thereby, hindering progressive development at the grassroots.
“No wonder, as of today, we have been bedevilled by insecurity, poverty, deprived and engulfed by unemployment because of the failing system at the local government.
“Money meant for growth and development, money meant to ensure that the dividends of democracy get to the nooks and cranny of the country were diverted. They are doing that because of the lacuna in our Constitution under section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, which created the Joint Allocation Account Committee.
“This has turned to a conduit pipe through which money meant for development are being syphoned. Consequently, section 7 of the same 1999 Constitution, guarantees the existence of a democratic system of government in Local Government.
“However, when you go further, there is confusion where it states that the House of Assembly can legislate over the structure, funding and continuity of local government operations.
“State governments hide under these Acts to perpetrate these atrocities against the people of Nigeria and we say it is time to fix Nigeria. Time to fix the local government system because once we fix the local government, we have fixed Nigeria.” Said Ambali
While describing the Local Government as the most strategic and reliable service centre in governance, he said that majority of the problems currently faced by the county is traceable and could be fixed with the actualization of local government autonomy.
“When we achieve local government autonomy all these problems shall seize automatically. Let Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conduct elections. We want a transparent procedure.
“The process of electing and appointing people to man the affairs of the local government is no longer acceptable. It lacks transparency and credibility.
“The conduct of elections by the states electoral commission is not acceptable. It does not represent the political and aspirations of Nigerians.”
He further called on all patriotic Nigerians to join the struggle for the actualization of local government autonomy.
“We are also calling for full financial autonomy for the local government. Let local governments be empowered to use their funds to develop the local government.”
