Corruption hindering local council autonomy, NULGE laments

ALLEGED resistance to change by those benefiting from corruption has been identified as the major factor impeding the move for local council autonomy in Nigeria.

The National President of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees ( NULGE), Ambali Olatuji, made the claim, yesterday, in Jalingo, Taraba State, accusing some state political actors, who divert and pilfer local government allocations, of frustrating local council autonomy to enable them to continue with their corruption.

He stated this during a visit to the state to preside over the Union’s state delegates’ conference, which took place at Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, the state capital.

Exploiting the provision in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which places the administration of local councils under state Houses of Assembly, the state actors, according to him, manipulate and coerce state legislatures into enacting laws against Council autonomy.

Stating that the trend violates constitutional principles, he lamented that in a country where “anything goes,” such actions persist.

NULGE leadership also frowned on the appointment of caretaker leaders in place of elected council officials, noting that it contradicts the Constitution and called on the Federal Government to intervene in states, where council elections are denied.

He commended the National Assembly’s efforts to move the supervision of council elections from State Independent Electoral Commissions ( SIEC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), saying the trend has failed to reflect the will and aspirations of the Nigerian masses.