The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently enforce the Supreme Court judgment granting full autonomy to local governments across the country.
The call was contained in a communiqué signed by NULGE President-General, Aliyu Kankara, after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to the communiqué, more than a year after the apex court’s decision, the Federal Government has yet to implement the ruling. NULGE stressed that further delay undermines democratic principles and deprives grassroots communities of the benefits that come with autonomous local governance.
“It is expected that a democratic and people-oriented government should uphold the rule of law and abide by the tenets of democracy,” the statement noted.
The union also decried the seizure of local government funds in Osun State, describing it as unjust and harmful to grassroots development. “The unlawful withholding of allocations has crippled service delivery, disrupted development plans, and worsened the hardship faced by Osun residents,” NULGE said.
On workers’ welfare, the NEC expressed displeasure over the failure of some states to implement the national minimum wage. It described the refusal as “callous and unfair,” particularly given the current economic realities, and demanded urgent action to address the welfare of local government staff who play a key role in national development.
The communiqué further called on the Federal Government to step into the Osun political crisis and ensure the immediate release of seized local government allocations to restore peace and promote sustainable development.
On the recent demolition of its national secretariat, NULGE appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to intervene and provide redress.
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