NGO, NULGE, Lament Governors, State Assemblies Delay Towards LGA Autonomy Realization

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, March 30th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Rivers State based non- governmental organization (NGO) Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action), and the Enugu State branch

of Nigerian Union of Local government Employees NULGE, have expressed concern over the nonchalant attitude and delay by governors and State Houses of Assembly

towards the realization of the local government Autonomy in the country.

They posited that such delay has continued to impede development at the grass root level across Nigeria, insisting that not until the needful is done at that tier

of government ,the situation will continue to aggravate the suffering of the poor masses at the grass root.

Speaking on Wednesday in Enugu during a media parley organized by Social Action, Comrade, Ozor Ugonna Kingssley, the Executive Director, Rural Engagement

Foundation, (REDFoundation), who convened the forum on behalf of the NGO, lamented that the delay by the state governors and Houses of Assembly on the LGA

autonomy has done serious harm to the entire nation.

He said: “this parley has become necessary as we now know that the stumbling blocks to the achievement of LGAs Autonomy are the State Governors and the State \

Houses of Assembly across the 36 states of the Federation.

“The joint houses of the National Assembly has graciously approved the LGAs Autonomy Bill and are waiting for the states to rectify the bill so the section of the

constitution can be amended.

According to him, “We are yet to see any Governor transmit this onerous bill to their state House of Assembly neither has any house of Assembly taken it upon

itself to deliberate on for consideration.

“So primarily the objective of this Media Parley is to categorically tell the Governors and the Assembly Members that we the people know they are the enemies of

the people and community development, that they have long enjoyed the pilferage of LGAs funds for frivolous purposes and that this is the time to turn a new leaf.

“Finally any Governor and State Assembly member who fail to pass the LGAs Autonomy Bill into law should consider himself an enemy of the people and will be

retired from politics and such persons have no business being in government and the governance space,” he stated.

Chairman of Enugu NULGE, Comrade Kenneth Ugwueze in his remark said there is an urgent need for autonomy for local governments in the country.

He lamented that the legislature had toyed with the case for local government autonomy starting from the 7th Assembly, stressing that it is time to grant the autonomy.

Our Correspondent reports that the Social Action media Parley with support from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) between NULGE, CSOs, Enugu LGA’s
Budget Advocacy Clusters, Community Leaders & groups, was attended by media organizations from the print, new media and electronic.

Ugwueze, added that the Autonomy would ensure accountability and transparency in its operation.

The Enugu NULGE boss, however, expressed optimism that the autonomy if realized, would bring infrastructural development at the rural communities and bring

effectively services delivery to the masses.

“I want to thank the Social Action group for their support since we started this struggle for emancipation of the local government. They have done a lot to this

struggle and at the end we will all join together to celebrate the success.

“The autonomy if achieved will take us back to the time when local government is strong and infrastructural development were done at the rural area by local

government chairmen. Today it has turned to worst because of the way the governor and state achors have continued controll the local government.

“I am optimistic that this time the National Assembly and the state Assembly will pass the local government autonomy because in the previous, at a time when the

bill passes second reading it will be trashed but this time they will pass it.

“It’s now or never because we cannot envisage what the next assembly will do.