From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has said that devolution of power to the local governments is the real restructuring that the nation needs.
This was contained in a statement issued by NULGE National President, Ambali Olatunji in Abuja. The union, therefore, condemned the negative position of Governors Kayode Fayemi and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ekiti and the Ondo states respectively for opposing the local government autonomy.
It noted that the two South West governors were the major problems behind the realisation of both political and financial autonomy for the third tier of government in the country.
The labour group, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, and Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State, as well as other governors for openly supporting local government autonomy.
Fayemi, had during the opening session of a two-day multi-stakeholders meeting for the furtherance of peace and inclusive security in Nigeria organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum, in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development, in Abuja recently, condemned calls for local government autonomy, saying the issues about the third tier of government should be left to the states to decide.
The statement read in part: “Those who clamour for restructuring and dissolution of powers should know that the real restructuring that Nigerians need should be for the interest of Nigeria i.e. power should be pushed to where people reside, which is the local government.”