By Joan Nwagwu
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Emplyees(NULGE) has urged the Implementation Committee set up by the Federal Government to hasten the process of submission of the frame work for the implementation of the Local Government Autonomy.
Mr Ambali Olatunji, President of NULGE, said this in a communique issued at the end its National Executive Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
Olatunji said that it was imperative that the committee hastened the process of the framework to ensure the smooth running of the local government administration.
According to him, NEC-in-session admonishes the federal government to immediately take steps towards ensuring the conduct of free, fair and credible elections across all local governments in Nigeria.
“This is to avoid the imposition of undemocratic leadership such as care taker committees, sole administrators and others on the local governments by state governments.
“All States should, therefore, conduct Local Government elections before the 11t day of October, 2024,” he said.
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He also said that the meeting called for urgent review of the 2014 Local Government Scheme of Service to strengthen the functionality and equity for local government workers.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to implement the new national minimum wage as earlier approved to commence not later than October 2024 to alleviate the hardship faced by Nigerian workers.
The president explained that the meeting emphasised the necessity of the action to help workers cope with the rising inflation, increased high cost of living and other economic pressures.
Olatunji said that NEC- in- session sympathized with flood victims in Borno and other affected States.
“We also appreciate the governors and the good citizens of Nigerla that donated relief materials generously to the affected families and also prayed for the repose of the souls of those consumed by the disaster,” he said.
Okatunji however, commended Mr President for granting Financial Autonomy to the local government which the union had been clamoring for over decades.
He added that this would definitely bring development to the grassroots.
“NEC-in-session equally extends her appreciation to the Supreme Court for a dispassionate judgement which has brought the needed relief to the Local Government to achieve her developmental goals,” he said.
