The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has 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. The union however decried the negative position of governors Kayode Fayemi and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ekiti and the Ondo states, respectively, over the struggle for local government autonomy.
In a statement by its President, Comrade Olatunji Ambali, the union warned Fayemi and Akeredolu not to send a wrong signal as if the current administration was not capable of handling the problems of the local governments. Fayemi, had during a stakeholders’ meeting 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.
In the statement, NULGE said Fayemi’s outburst was unpatriotic, self-serving, anti-people and clearly against the position of Buhari and the All Progressive Congress government.
The statement said: “The sudden outburst of governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Rotimi Akeredolu against local government autonomy is unpatriotic, self-serving and anti-people. We must commend Governor Nyesom Wike and his counterpart, Badaru, and so many other governors for openly supporting local government autonomy. We equally appeal to the governors of Ekiti and Ondo states not to send a wrong signal as if the ruling government is not capable of handling the problems of the local governments.”
Olatunji pointed out that a functional as well as political and financial autonomous local government system would douse the clamour for regional restructuring and address the myriads of problems confronting Nigeria,
adding that the neglect of local governments had increased rural poverty by leaving the rural communities without access to good roads, functional health care services, portable water, electricity and good education.