The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has said state governors should be held responsible over “deterioration” of the local government administration in Nigeria.
The NULGE President in Ogun State, Ayuba Olatunji, said this on Thursday while speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta.
Olatunji noted that councils “performed wonderfully well” in the past, but that the system had now been weakened by the governors who he accused of hijacking funds meant for the councils.
He identified funding, administrative and political challenges as some of the factors crippling LG administration in the country.
He said, “All they (governors) will allege is that LGs are corrupt, ‘that’s why we are taking over the administration’. For someone battling a headache, is cutting the head the antidote?
“The question is, what is the level of corruption at the LG level compared to the state and federal levels? How many LG chairmen have been convicted for corruption, what is the quantum of the resources coming to the LGs to the extent that they are being alleged of corruption?
“But they have forgotten that in the past, LGs were performing wonderfully well. Were there no administrations at that time? Were there no state governments at that time? It’s a food for thought for all of us.”
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Olatunji maintained that granting LG autonomy would allow the councils to perform their duties optimally and tame the governors’ excesses.
He, however, expressed confidence that the Ogun State House of Assembly would pass the LG Autonomy Bill slated for next week.
Olatunji hinted that Abia, Edo and Kogi assemblies had already passed the bill, describing it as a welcome development.
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