21st August, 2017
Organised labour in Cross River, has urged the Cross River State House of Assembly to support the LG Autonomy bill seeking to give financial autonomy to local governments in the country.
The bill, which was recently passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, to become law, must receive endorsements by two thirds majority of members of the 36 state houses of assembly.
At a solidarity rally on Monday in Calabar, Mr Godwin Ayende, state president of Nigerian Union Local Government Employees (NULGE), said that local government autonomy would guarantee democracy at the grassroots.
“Local government autonomy will bring government closer to the people. It will guarantee provision of social services and enhance people’s participation in governance, ‘’ he said.
The NULGE president described the current joint account system as a burden on the local government administration, adding that, it had crippled development at the grassroots.
“Today, local government administration cannot construct or even rehabilitate rural roads; they cannot construct markets and they exist at the whims and caprices of the state governors.
“We hope that the Cross River State House of Assembly will heed the cries of our people and support the bill once it comes before the house, ‘’ he said.
Also, Mr John Ushie state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), described joint account system as a political slavery.
READ: Ebonyi APC Commend Buhari’s Position On Nigeria’s Indivisibility
According to him, local government autonomy is the only way forward for socio-economic emancipation at the grassroots.
Ushie said that the current local governments were incapacitated from rendering statutory services to the masses because of the joint account policy, which need to be expunged from the constitution.
“Local government autonomy will bring improved healthcare delivery system at the grassroots and also improve social services.
“We believe that local government autonomy will make our democracy work and put an end to political slavery and victimisation, ‘’ he said.
The labour leaders and members later marched along Mary Slessor Avenue to the house of assembly complex, where they delivered a letter to the Speaker, John Lebo.
Receiving the letter, Lebo assured the labour leaders that the state legislative was also in support of autonomy for local governments.
Lebo, who was represented by Mrs Regina Anyogu, Chairman of Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said that the lawmakers would do everything possible to actualise the quest for local government autonomy in Nigeria.