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Tag: NULGE

  • NULGE protests non payment of salary

    NULGE protests non payment of salary

    Local government workers in Ebonyi State, under the aegis of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), yesterday stormed the Office of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) and Office of the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, demanding payment of their enhanced salaries and arrears.

    The protesters, led by the state President, Comrade Leonard Nkah, carried placards with inscriptions, such as: ‘JAAC save our dependants from dying’; ‘It’s now or never, JAAC pay us our minimum wage’; ‘Stop these wanton destructions from LG fund’; ‘JAAC, it is a deliberate action holding our salaries till now’; ‘We need our September 2011, March and February salaries and arrears’.

    Nkah said the workers had suffered untold hardship as a result of unpaid salaries.

    He explained that the union heard that the government wanted to pay with the old salary structure.

    “We know that workers in the ministries and parastatals have collected their salaries and they don’t want to pay us.

    “We have been treated with levity, we have been deprived, we have been marginalised and treated as second-class citizens and we are saying no to this.”

    He gave the government a 48-hour ultimatum to pay with the enhanced salary structure.

    Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Chief Celestine Nwali, blamed the delay on lack of funds.

    He called on the protesters to do something urgently to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), even as he reassured them that government would not renege on the enhanced salary structure payment as speculated by the workers.

    “Neither myself nor the Permanent Secretary nor the Accountant and the government will be turned into cash.

    “As we speak now, the whole money most local government got last month is not even enough to pay the old wage”.

     

  • NULGE faults teachers’ stand on autonomy

    NULGE faults teachers’ stand on autonomy

    The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has faulted the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) for supporting calls for local government areas not to be given financial autonomy.

    NULGE President, Comrade Ibraheem Khaleel, in a briefing in his office in Abuja, said NUT has failed to do a thorough job on who to blame for teachers’ problems, stressing that the constitutional responsibility of the local government area is participatory.

    He said other tiers of government also contribute in paying primary school teachers and that both unions had agreed to send a proposal to the National Assembly for primary school teachers to be paid directly from the federation account so that the local government can use its funds to carry out its other functions when it gets full autonomy.

    His words: “But if teachers because of their fear for their salaries are now saying there must be no democracy in local government, then they are not doing justice to other sectors in the local government. We made several attempts to make the leadership of NUT understand and come to roundtable with NULGE with a view to fashion out ways to address the issue of primary school teachers as well as making local government functional.”

    The NULGE Chief also said the Union held meetings under the supervision of NLC’s leadership and that at some point they reached a consensus, which NULGE accommodated in its memos and all its submissions to government and the National Assembly to the effect that NULGE does not have any problem with making primary teachers’ salary first line charge.

    “So, if NUT is still hammering on the fact that local government system should be abandoned just because of their salary, in my opinion that is selfish. The truth is no democracy anywhere around the world can grow without a vibrant system of local government because the independence of each individual citizen lies in the independence of each local government,” he said.

  • NULGE gives ultimatum over arrears

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the six area council chairmen to pay the 20 per cent arrears owed staff or face indefinite industrial action.

    FCT NULGE President, Comrade Al-Hassan Abubakar and Secretary, Comrade Terry Henry Isaac, who spoke on behalf of the union at a joint press conference after the state Executive Council (SEC) meeting at the union secretariat in Gwagwalada, said the ultimatum has started.

    The union said the decision to issue the ultimatum became necessary after the six council chairmen failed to pay the council staff their 20 per cent arrears amounting to N155, 787,579.52 for one year.

    According to NULGE, it was at the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) on December 23, 2014, where six council chairmen were in attendance, in which the issue of the 20 per cent staff arrears was discussed.

    “There was a resolution which we have a letter to that effect at the plenary of the JAAC meeting concerning the staff monies which was written by the permanent secretary through ALGON to agree on the mode of payment of that monies with leadership of NULGE as earlier agreed, “ they said.

    NULGE noted that despite they had met severally with the leadership of ALGON, based on the report in which a committee was constituted to look the matter, in order to come up with modalities of paying the money, after the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed intervened and the union decided to suspend its 14 days ultimatum in October 2013, but, the council chairmen have fail to make any move to that regard.

    “Besides, an agreement was reached after the FCT minister, Bala Mohammed intervened that the money be paid in four installments, commencing from January 2014 and one year after, nothing has been done,” NULGE added.

    The union said it would inform the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, over inability of the ALGON in FCT and the council chairmen for failure to come to terms with agreement with NULGE one year after.

    “Failure of the six area council chairmen to pay this 20 percent staff arrears, the union would have no option than to embark on indefinite industrial action,” NULGE said.

     

  • Kebbi NULGE demands arrears of leave grant

    Kebbi NULGE demands arrears of leave grant

    The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Kebbi state has urged the state government to hasten the payment of outstanding leave grants to local members.

    The state Chairman of the union, Alhaji Bello Barade, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Monday.

    According to Barade, the government of Kebbi currently owes members of NULGE two years outstanding leave grants.

    “We were not paid the 2013 and 2014 leave grants and even in 2012 we were paid half of the amount,” he said.

    The chairman further observed that the state government workers had been paid their leave grants while local government employees had not been paid.

    He further maintained that the members would not relent on their agitation until they were settled.

    However, Barade, who appealed to the state government to reduce the hardship faced by local government employees by releasing their leave grants, called on local government employees to sustain dialogue in resolving the quest for the payment of the arrears.

  • APC hails NULGE for rejecting PDP lawmakers’ position

    APC hails NULGE for rejecting PDP lawmakers’ position

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has praised the state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) for supporting autonomy for local governments, which was passed by the 19 APC lawmakers.

    The party also extended its “arms of fellowship” to teachers, who have asked for forgiveness for working against the re-election of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, having misunderstood his education policies.

    Some of the teachers apologised on behalf of their colleagues to Fayemi  on a radio programme last week in which they bemoaned non-payment of salaries and alleged poor welfare package.

    The party, in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, hailed the local government workers for rejecting the seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers, who voted against autonomy for local governments.

    The 19 lawmakers, led by Speaker Adewale Omirin, at their last sitting on December 18 voted that local government autonomy be included in the constitution.

    The seven PDP lawmakers, loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose, held a counter-sitting a week later and voted against the autonomy, which elicited the anger of council workers.

    Describing the state executive of NULGE as “men of sterling qualities”, the APC said NULGE’s position “would go down in history as speaking the truth in matters of popular demand among the people against a narrow political interest”.

    The party said: “The members of the Executive Council of NULGE are men of sterling qualities and apolitical civil servants.

    “Even at the risk of being hounded and haunted by those who neither know what separation of powers is all about nor have any respect for the rule of law, they voiced their stance on the rejection of the autonomy for local governments. We salute their courage.

    “The NULGE stance, which has our total support, is commendable while the stance of the PDP-Seven is condemnable, illegal, unconstitutional and of no consequence. We are recording it as one of the several illegalities they are being backed to commit by Governor Fayose.

    “We hold nothing against the teachers or anyone in the state. Rather, we share in their sorrows and pains as they celebrated dry Christmas.

    “We are equal stakeholders. We, the teachers and NULGE are partners in progress in our unyielding stance to move our state forward.”

  • Mixed reactions trail Houses of Assembly’s votes on constitution amendment

    MIXED reactions trailed yesterday the resolutions of some state Houses of Assembly on the Constitution 4th Alteration Bill (2014) forwarded to them by the National Assembly.

    Members of  the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) praised Kogi and Oyo states  over the passage of the local government autonomy bill, among others.

    In Port Harcourt, NULGE members also stormed the River State House of Assembly, clamouring for autonomy for councils.

    But this did not sway the legislators as they voted “no”.

    At its plenary, the Kogi State House of Assembly, for instance, voted in favour of local government autonomy among other sections of the amended constitution.

    The Assembly voted in favour of all sections forwarded to it for consideration and also insisted on the scrapping of the state Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) as part of the amendment.

    The House, which dissolved into a Committee of the Whole, became rancorous on getting to Section 197, which provides for the establishment of the SIEC. Few members held that the commission must stay.

    Members who were against the sustenance of the commission, among others, alluded to the duplication of functions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    It however refrained from voice votes and at the end only two members out of the 19 at plenary voted in favour of SIEC as they held that the commissions would not serve the interest of the people.

    Other clauses ratified by the House included New States and Boundary

    Adjustment, Police Reform and the Protection of Persons with Disabilities against Discrimination among many others.

    The House Speaker, Alhaji Momoh Jimoh-Lawal, while introducing the bill, said the harmonised version was passed in October 2014, by the

    National Assembly in line with section 9(2) of the constitution.

    The Speaker, in his report on resumption from the Committee of Whole, said voting took on all the sections forwarded to the House for its consideration.

    He directed that the resolution of the House be forwarded to the National Assembly for necessary action.

    Speaking at the assembly complex shortly after the plenary sitting, President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Tom Abutu praised the House for taking the bold step to be on the side of the people.

    The Oyo State House of Assembly also approved the local government autonomy bill as requested by the National Assembly.

    Reacting shortly after the approval of the autonomy bill, Oyo State President of NULGE  Bayo Titilola-Sodo said the union “laud the most progressive step taking today by the members of the Oyo State legislature by counting themselves on the side of masses and on the part of history.”

    “I believe they have writing their name in gold in the heart of the masses. They have ignored the minority who are against the passage of the bill, they have shown that they can be entrusted with the destiny of our nation.”

    At its plenary presided over by the Speaker, Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri, the Adamawa House of Assembly unanimously agreed to all the amendments in a voice vote.

    The Speaker read out all the proposed amendment sequentially and the 15 members that were in attendance answered in the affirmative, saying “yes” while in return the speaker replied “the yes have it”.

    After the adoption, Fintiri said the House voted yes to all the amendments because it’s in line with its position and that of the larger people they represent.

     

  • NULGE, ALGON to tackle ‘extortion’ in Lagos

    THE Nigerian Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have petitioned the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) over “arbitrary” imposition of taxes on the public by a suspected clique believed to be working for the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    NULGE and ALGON decried the alleged extortion, faking and forgery of government papers by the criminal group.

    The petition, dated September 4 and signed by Vincent Ogbonna on behalf of the two bodies, noted that the activities of the TUC affiliate on Lagos State highways, motor parks, companies and other parts of the country, breached the security of motorists, who resisted the illegal actions.

    The statement said: “These actions and many more, such as reporting some perpetrators to the law enforcement authorities, have yielded some significant results, save for some who are bent on continuing with the illegalities, including the TUC in Lagos, which mandated a faceless group of impostors, called NUSEPN, as its affiliate body.”

    The petitioners said they had begun seminars, symposia and other publications in print and electronic media, in collaboration with another organisation(JMOAN) “in a bid to sensitise the public on the need to curb the activities of the criminals who hide under the cloak of the local government system to extort money from the people via the imposition of stickers”.

  • Lagos takes LPG awareness campaign to Alimosho

    Lagos takes LPG awareness campaign to Alimosho

    TO deepen grassroots consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Lagos State,  the state’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, has taken the ‘use of cooking gas’ campaign tagged, “Eko Gas” to residents of Alimosho Local Government Area, where the Eko Gas cylinders and accessories were distributed free to the people.

    The Permanent Secretary,  Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mrs. Regina Iyabo Obasa, said the state government was determined to ensure that Lagosians imbibe the use of LPG because of its  advantages.

    She said the state government introduced Eko Gas scheme as a domestic fuel of choice for Lagosians  to reduce carbon emissions from the use of firewood and kerosene and because it is cleaner, healthier, safe, more efficient and convenient to use for cooking.

    She said: ‘’Lagos State Government is set to introduce one million gas cylinders to Lagos homes in the next five years to make the use of LPG a success. This exercise of sensitising and distributing free Eko Gas stove cylinders to Lagosians has been undertaken in Isolo LCDA, Eredo LCDA, and Badagry Central LCDA.”

    She said the state in conjunction with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry had mapped out plans to sensitise and distribute Eko gas cylinders with full accessories to other LGA/LCDA every week till the end of year.

    The representative of the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Adewuyi Makinde, enjoined Lagosians and residents of Alimosho to embrace the use of a cleaner fuel for cooking. He said LPG popularly called cooking gas is the cleanest and most efficient fuel available. He reiterated the determination of the chamber to partner with Lagos State Government in safeguarding the environment against hazardous substances emitted while cooking with charcoal, firewood and kerosene.

    The Chairman, Local Council Development Area, Israel Olusola Adekunle, represented by the Head, Human Resources, Mr. Oluwo Ojo, said the  initiative was part of the dividends of democracy. He reiterated the importance of switching to  LPG.

    Present at the event were notable politicians, clerics, market women and leaders, youths and leaders, council workers and community leaders.

    Free cylinders and accessories were presented to residents of the locality, including former NULGE National Deputy President, Alhaji Arashi Omikunle and some food vendors.

  • Succour for Edo prisoners

    Succour for Edo prisoners

    Inmates of the Nigeria Prisons at Ubiaja in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State used to depend on non-governmental organisations and individuals for daily supply of water to supplement what the prison authorities were providing.

    The prison inmates’ water problem has however been solved following the construction of an industrial borehole by the council boss, Joseph Ikpea, at the council secretariat. Potable water is provided for the inmates as the prison is adjacent to the secretariat.

    Ikpea said the water project was among 46 projects his administration has executed within one year despite dwindling allocation from the federal allocation.

    He spoke at a reception organised by the local government to enable him give report of his achievements to the people.

    The council boss who was a founding member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria which later because APC denied rumors that he planned to defect the PDP. He said his concerns were to replicate Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s developmental strides at the grassroots.

    To tackle insecurity in the area and ensure safety of traders, Ikpea constructed security surveillance posts on the Ewohimi Onishugbo road, Okhusesan and Ubiaja and Ewatto/Okhuesan.

    He said: “Beside Illushi community, every other community, ward have be touched in one form or the other by this administration in the last one year within the limit of resources accrued to the council. The council is at the verge of striking a peace accord with the warring factions in Illushi crisis. We have converge series of peace talk in conjunction with other stakeholders and I am sure soonest the crisis will be a thing of the past and I equally promise to done more in the next two years.

    “Other projects constructed by Ikpea administration included construction of magistrate court in Ubiaja, purchase and supply of 1, 75KVA generator to supply light from Idumu Iyase to Uhomhedho Ewatto, construction of 92 lock-up stores, 34 public toilets and renovation primary schools, purchase of eighteen seater Toyota Hiace Bus for NULGE and grading of 6 newly created earth roads from Ewatto to Udeneria in Igueben, Idumu-Iselu – Ozogwo, Idumu- Iselu – Uhoumhebho, Ibhiadan –Ewu –Ewekwa road amongst others.

    “As part of my cardinal commitment towards human development and capacity building, my administration has also reeled out scholarship to indigenous students , gave free loans for women empowerment , provision of agricultural facilities to farmers and computerisation of the entire council offices.”

    Ikpea said free health care services were available for women and children and that medical equipment were provided at various medical centers in the locality.

    Executive Director, Edo State Rapid Response Agency, Elder Sam Eboiegbe, who spoke at the event, urged the council boss to imbibe the culture of interacting with the people and intimating them of his activities  quarterly.

    ‘’Joe Ikpea is a hard working chairman, he was able to do some of what he said he was going to do because you cannot do everything at a time . So for one year he reeled out the catalogue of what he has done and every body saw it, they were in black and white, they were written down, they were documented, I read it, many people read it because they were distributed and the communities where those projects are sited, they are there and one can go there to see what he said he has done. He really did all what he said but the only little thing I am waiting for is the commissioning. The day he will invite the people, party leaders, even the governor, to commission all the projects he has done within one year in Esan South East.

    ‘’So, it is a very big achievement.  He has done very well and I will commend him for that and the followership because it means that his vice chairman, his executive and legislators they are working together in harmony . I m personally happy with what he has done, what he has showcase to us. I was personally there I read all that happened I even encourage him to always converge a town hall meeting quarterly like he did that day, so that he will review and see what he has done, what is to be done so that in future we know where we are going to.‘’

  • Haba! Delta NULGE and Service Commission

    Haba! Delta NULGE and Service Commission

    Local governments are supposed to be training ground for leaders and politicians for higher participation and exhibit professionalism in governance at the state and federal levels.  What one can see now is that the reverse is the case because of corruption and lackadaisical attitude of union executive members and the Local Government Service Commission in Delta State.  Like the popular saying, “born great but tied down”, the local government system, especially in Delta State, is in chains, even in the face of almost limitless prospects as engine room for massive grassroots development.

    During a short visit to one of the local government secretariats in the Delta Central, I observed with dismay and was further perplexed the way and manner staffers were moving from one office to another with hullabaloo, signifying that things were not in good shape. On enquiry, I was made to understand that workers are complaining seriously of the deductions of seven hundred naira (700.00) per month for ten months by the Nigerian Union of Local Governments Employees (NULGE Delta State).  I reliably gathered that the proceeds will be used to build a five-star hotel as guest house for employees of the twenty-five local governments in Delta.  I was flabbergasted. One may ask, is it fair to all? Is five-star hotel to be used as guest house by the employees of Delta State local government their priority?  Deducting workers salaries to build a five-star hotel by union is uncalled for.  Who gave the union the approval?  The executive arm of the Delta State government should not use NULGE as “ATM” that is, a way to siphon money. NULGE should be directed to stop such irregular deductions with speed and alacrity and concentrate on how to improve on workers welfare and avoid causing confusion in the twenty-five local governments of Delta State.

    This is done every four years. In some cases, workers will pay without seeing the ID or at the close of its expiration. The big question now is, are workers expected to pay for ID?  Was the money for Workers ID not budgeted for?  What is happening in the NULGE and the Local Government Service Commission of Delta State?  I wish Governor Uduaghan will take appropriate action because a stitch in time saves nine.  NULGE and the Local Government Service Commission must not become “ATM” to the state.  This is a dangerous dichotomy, indeed!  It is pregnant with meaning.

    Okwute Emmanuel Okwute,

    Warri, Delta State.