NULGE: 50% of Nigeria’s problems solved with LGs’ financial autonomy

Ambali Olatunji, president of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), says the supreme court ruling favouring financial autonomy for local governments will address over half of the problems in Nigeria.

NAN reports that Olatunji spoke in Lagos on Thursday and noted that the feat marks freedom and sets a new dawn for the country.

Earlier, the supreme court ruled that the federal government should henceforth pay allocations directly to local government councils from the federation account.

Delivering judgment in the suit on Thursday, a seven-member panel of justices held that state governments have continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.

The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGs governed by unelected officials appointed by the governor.

Olatunji added that the financial autonomy of the LGs would also address the problems of insecurity, lack of jobs, poverty, and infrastructural gaps at the grassroots.

“We believe that with the local government autonomy judgment, over 50 per cent of Nigerian problems have been fixed,” the NULGE president said.

“Also, we hope there will be financial integrity at the local government levels and all financial transactions will be tracked.”

The union leader said NULGE will work with anti-corruption agencies to ensure growth and development.