Oyo NULGE Takes LG Autonomy Rally To Assembly

Members of the Oyo State Chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) on Wednesday embarked on a solidarity rally to the Oyo State House of Assembly to lobby the lawmakers to support the proposed debate for local government autonomy.

The workers, numbering about 1000, were led by the state Chairman, Comrade Sikiru Titilayo-Sodo and the South West Chairman, Comrade Oludare Famofo.

Sporting branded T-shirts, they commenced their rally from the Labour House headquarters and marched through the streets to the State Assembly where they presented their demands to the Speaker of the House, Michael Adeyemo.

The workers carried different banners with various inscriptions to express their displeasure at government’s refusal to allow the third tier of government operate independently of other tiers of government.

‘Scrap JAAC’

Speaking, Comrade Titilayo-Sodo advocated for the scrapping of the state Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) which he described as a conduit pipe for syphoning the public funds.

According to him, granting administrative autonomy to local governments in the country would enhance quick development and growth at the grassroot level, which would translate to making democracy participatory and impact on the people.

“Our core demand in requesting for local government autonomy includes: political, financial and administrative autonomy of LGAs. Abolition of State/LGA joint account, payment of 10% internally generated revenue by State governments to LGAs, stopping the deduction from LGA’s federal revenue allocation by State governments.

“We want the abolition of SIEC and reverting the conduct of local government elections to INEC, implement the ruling of Supreme Court judgement against appointment of caretaker committees for LGs and reckless dissolution of elected local government councils”.

Yes vote

Also speaking, Comrade Famofo pointed out that the workers embarked on the rally to “solicit for the help of the state House of Assembly so that when the local government autonomy bill that has already been passed by the National Assembly is transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly, they will give it a yes vote”.

He added that the continued problem in the country was as a result of democracy not being practised at the grassroot level which he said is giving the workers serious concern.

Adeyemo, however, assured workers that the needful would be done as soon as the bill is transmitted to the lawmakers.