NULGE Warns On Plans By APC, PDP To Kill Local Governments

 

ABUJA - The National Union of Local government employees (NULGE) has warned against what it called "mutual conspiracy" by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stifle lives out of the masses by denying local government autonomy.

Besides, the union charged the Presidential candidates of the APC and PDP, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, to engage NULGE and indeed Nigerians on how to achieve autonomy for the Council.

Speaking during a courtesy call by the National President of the Association of Ex-local government Chairmen of Nigeria (ASELGON), Hon Albert Asipa,  National President Akeem Ambali, in Abuja, on Thursday, the union frowned at the reluctance of the duo of Atiku and Tinubu to make their positions on council autonomy known " before and after their emergence as candidates"

"We are mobilising our members across the nation to begin advocacy visits to Houses of Assemblies throughout the country to push for council autonomy.

"We have come to the sad realisation that the criminal neglect of local government is the multiplier of poverty amongst the generality of our people. We must return nobility to our people by changing the narrative."

He expressed disappointment that issues of power availability, insecurity, poverty alleviation and the need to reflate the prostrate economy were not critically  addressed during the primaries that led to the emergence of the candidates.

He added that any candidate or party which is favourably disposed to council autonomy would have the sympathy of the workers at that level of governance.

Ambali, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ogun State however commended the President, Muhammad Buhari, for keeping faith with the establishment of the national financial intelligence unit (NFIU) in the EFCC to monitor local government funds.

Asipa had earlier called for a collaboration between ASELGON and NULGE for national and organisational development.