By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that it will not tolerate any local government or state governor who fails to properly implement the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy.
This came as the President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, warned the federal government and state governors not to play politics with the implementation of the nation’s apex court judgment that directed local governments to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to receive their allocations directly.
At the 8th National Administrative Council meeting of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Abuja, Ajaero pledged labour’s support in ensuring NULGE’s fight for full autonomy.
According to him, “We have gotten the autonomy now. I want to plead with the federal government not to play politics with our autonomy. The release of funds to local governments should not be at the whims and caprices of government.
“It’s a position of law. It is not if you like me, you send me money. If you don’t want me, you won’t send me money. I think we should get that.
“The very moment the judicial arm of government, the highest court in the land, ve that ruling, they were no longer doing anybody any favours, and even the President agreed with it.
“So, I don’t understand their sense of delays any longer. So the NLC, NULGE, and all trade union movements in Nigeria will work with all of you to ensure that we fight any infraction at any unit, be it a councillor or state. Our struggle has been highlighted so that it will not be a way of telling them to obey the law.
“It is no longer agitation. This is another way of enforcing the law, which was voluntarily entered into. We are not at the mercy of any governor, we are not at the mercy of any President, we are not at the mercy of any minister.
“So today, on behalf of the labour movement and NULGE, which happens to be one of the strongest affiliates of Congress, to say that we are not going to take it kindly to any local government, to any state, where this issue of autonomy is not properly implemented.”
The NLC President commended the past leadership of NULGE for efficiently piloting the union’s affairs and maintaining a smooth process of democracy and transition.
He advised the new leadership to follow the precedent already set by others.
Ajaero said, “If your tenure is expiring, you hand over. You conduct elections. There is no need for manipulation to stay in office forever.”
In his valedictory speech, the outgoing President General of NULGE, Comrade Ambali Olatunji, charged members not to be deterred by the delay in implementing the Supreme Court judgement on LG autonomy: “NULGE has changed the narrative, the industrial landscape in Nigeria. No matter what is happening now, our union will progress and celebrate the achievement of outstanding issues.
“The little we have achieved in my time people have continued to celebrate, but it was not by our making; we are only your agents of change.”
For his part, the newly elected President-General of NULGE, Comrade Aliyu Kankara, pledged his commitment to prioritising the welfare of members and human capacity development and continuing the struggle for the implementation of total LG autonomy.
“Today is a significant milestone in the history of our union, a dedication to selfless fight for the good of all members. I call on members and stakeholders to remain united in demanding improved working conditions for local government workers.
“The landmark judgement of July 2024 served as a buffer to our struggle for an efficient local government system in Nigeria. However, it is still necessary to proceed with the struggle to achieve an administratively and politically autonomous regional government.
“We will intensify all efforts, which include reaching out to stakeholders, canvassing our legislators in various states, and continued tenacious advocacy for an autonomous Local Government system in Nigeria.”
The newly elected executives will serve for a four-year term, overseeing the affairs of NULGE and advocating for better policies for local government employees nationwide.
