The alleged pervasive resistance to change among those benefiting from corruption is, said to have been impeding the progress of local government administration in Nigeria.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ambali Olatuji, who asserted this Jalingo, Taraba state, said the root cause lies in certain state political actors who consistently divert and pilfer local government allocations.
He stated this while in the state to preside over the Union’s state delegate conference which took place at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, the state capital.
Exploiting a gap in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which placed the administration of local government under state houses of Assembly, these actors, according to him, manipulate and coerce state legislatures into enacting illegal laws.
He stated that this trend violates constitutional principles, but in a country where “anything goes,” such actions persist.
NULGE leadership also contends that appointing caretaker leaders contradicts the constitution, advocating for federal intervention in states where local government elections are denied.
NULGE proposes redirecting local government allocations to the federal government and disbursing salaries directly through the use of National Identification Numbers (NIN).
Highlighting the allure of local government funds, NULGE emphasizes the need for autonomy.
They argue that local governments should have financial independence, with their accounts credited directly.
They call for transparent elections is urgent, Alleging that state governors perpetrate illegality by appointing political loyalists rather than allowing democratic processes, the need for the National Assembly to make laws that will enabled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), conduct local government elections across the country, he said have become necessary.
Commending the National Assembly’s efforts, NULGE, as made known by him, supports the proposal to shift local government elections from State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The current system, they argue, fails to reflect the will and aspirations of the Nigerian masses.
Emphasizing the significance of political autonomy, NULGE asserts that governors should not have the power to remove democratically elected local government leaders.
They advocate for direct funding and the implementation of the fourth schedule of the constitution, allowing local governments to collect their rightful allocations.
NULGE believes that with political, financial, and administrative empowerment, local governments can become vibrant entities capable of delivering meaningful dividends of democracy.
