The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately enforce the Supreme Court judgment granting full autonomy to local governments across the country.
The call was contained in a communiqué signed by Aliyu Kankara, NULGE’s president-general, at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
More than a year after the apex court delivered the ruling, the union said the federal government’s failure to implement it undermines democracy and denies grassroots communities the benefits of self-governance.
“This undue delay undermines the principles of democracy and denies the people at the grassroots the numerous benefits associated with the autonomy of local government administration. A democratic and people-oriented government should respect the rule of law,” the communiqué read.
The union also condemned the seizure of local government allocations in Osun State, describing the action as unjust and harmful to grassroots development. “The unlawful seizure of funds has crippled service delivery, distorted development plans, and worsened the suffering of Osun people,” it added.
On workers’ welfare, NULGE expressed concern over the failure of some state governments to implement the national minimum wage, calling it “callous and unfair” given current economic realities. The NEC urged affected states to review wage structures and ensure fair compensation for local government workers.
