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Oluwatosin Ejalonibu
The National Association of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called for a complete overhaul of the country’s Constitution in favour of local governments in the country.
The Ogun State President of NULGE, Comrade Ayuba Olatunde made this call on Friday during a press conference which is part of the activities to mark the association’s 1st NULGE week, billed to hold from Tuesday 7th December to Sunday 11th December, 2021.
Olatunde in his opinion said without local government autonomy in the country it will be difficult to fight the challenges of decay in healthcare, educational systems, poor sanitation, insecurity and other challenges facing the country.
According to him, laws need to be made to make the status of local governments in the country known as various State governments are taking advantage of the loopholes in the provisions of the Constitution that establishes local government to make state laws that take power of the local government.
He however called on the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly to expedite action on the recent debate to grant local government autonomy.
The State President also charged the State governments that pending the granting of the autonomy for local governments, they should respect and adhere strictly to the Constitutional provisions on local government.
His words” we want a complete overhaul of the Constitution in favour of the local government and to that extent the independency of local governments in the country.
“The negative effects of this lack of autonomy translate to vices including but not limited to decay in health care, and educational systems, poor sanitation, poverty and rural and urban migration with its attendant consequences.
” The overall effects of all these is what we are experiencing in the country today: reduction in life expectancy; insecurity ranging from banditry, to kidnapping, killings, etc; food shortage, economic decadence and unemployment.
” The National assembly to expedite action on the recent debate to grant local government autonomy and transmission of same to State house of Assembly for their two- third assent.
“The State assembly, most importantly Ogun State assembly to pass the bill when transmitted to it without further delay.
” The State governments pending the granting of the autonomy for local government, to respect and adhere strictly to the Constitutional provisions on local government as earlier discussed and the Supreme Court Judgement on funding of primary education, releasing the internally generated revenue of local government to respective local governments and remitting the 10% State government’s IGR to the joint account”.
