The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the delay surrounding the implementation of Local Government autonomy across the country.
This call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. The document, jointly signed by the NULGE President General, Comrade Aliyu Haruna, and Secretary General, Comrade Isah Gambo, warned that the continued non-enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government autonomy may trigger a mass protest by workers.
According to the communiqué, granting full autonomy to Local Governments would promote better service delivery, strengthen accountability, and ensure participatory governance at the grassroots.
“The NEC-in-Session expressed deep dissatisfaction with the delay in implementing the Supreme Court judgment delivered on July 11, 2024, which affirms fiscal autonomy for Local Governments in Nigeria,” the union stated.
It added that “this prolonged delay undermines democracy and deprives people at the grassroots of the benefits that come with a functional and autonomous third tier of government.”
The union urged President Tinubu to prioritise the enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling as a sign of his administration’s commitment to justice, equity, and the development of local communities.
Furthermore, NULGE decried the non-implementation of the N70,000 National Minimum Wage in several states, including Ebonyi, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Zamfara, Edo, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The union described the situation as “callous and unfair,” noting that Local Government workers, who play a vital role in grassroots development, are being neglected amid rising economic hardship.
