The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees NULGE Ekiti State Council has described local government autonomy as a panacea needed by the country to cure itself of various challenges affecting its National unity and development.
According to the union, the issues of insecurity, poor economy, unemployment and ethnic conflicts which have lingered sparing decades would have been surmounted long time before now if successive governments have given free hand to councils to run independently.
These are the positions of the Ekiti NULGE President, Comrade Oluseyi Olatunde, during a press conference to react to the failure by some state Houses of Assembly to pass the Local Government Autonomy bill forwarded to them by the National Assembly including Ekiti State.
Comrade Olatunde explained that it was painful that some stakeholders seem not to understand the huge benefit associated with the proposed council autonomy.
He said “For any serious government to stem the growing tide of insecurity like terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and meet the basic needs of citizens, such government must leverage on the influence of the local government administration and give it the autonomy to function as expected by the law.
“Unless and until, we are able to do so, Nigeria will continue on the negative slide towards disintegration.
“The challenge of perennial insecurity is largely caused by over-centralization of our security architectures at the central, government at the Federal level cannot get to the nooks and crannies of the grassroots communities where perpetrators of the various dastardly acts of criminalities and vices being perpetrated almost on a daily basis reside.
“As at today, all of us know that Nigeria is bleeding badly, and the solution to fixing Nigeria is to allow Local Government to be completely autonomous
“Local Government Autonomy will bring about increased employment opportunities,productive engagements of our youths and women in governance.
“With more funds at the Local Government disposal and more administrative powers to the third tiers, there would be more opportunities for Youths and Women participation in politics of their local communities for improved democratic values and robust representations.
Comrade Olatunde called on President Mohammadu Buhari to use his position as number one Stakeholder in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) party and as the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to prevail on State Governors to accept Local Government Autonomy to set a legacy that will write his name in gold in the anal of Nigeria history.
He noted that the attempt to suffocate and incapacitate Local Government by the other tiers of Government, particularly the state government should be discouraged for a reformed and restructured Local Government system that allows for inclusiveness.
The NULGE President appealed to the two States in the southwest who voted against the bill to rescind their decisions and stand by the wishes of the Nigeria people instead of kicking against the bill for mere political ego.