The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), on Wednesday 24th of March, kicked against the bill sponsored by Hon Soloman Bob in the National Assembly to abolish the local government as the third tier of government in Nigeria.
The union has also appealed to all parliamentarians and stakeholders to see the local governments as the catalyst for societal development and give it full autonomy in line with the aspiration of the founding fathers.
Speaking at the inauguration of new national officers of NULGE, led by the newly elected National President, Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji, at the Labour House, Abuja, the out-going National President of the Union, Comrade Ahmed Labbo, called on all progressive members of the National Assembly to kill the bill at the appropriate stage in the overall development of the country.
He said: “Presently, the 9th National Assembly has commenced another process of constitutional amendments, and I would like to make a special appeal to all our parliamentarians as well as other stakeholders to see local governments as a catalyst for societal development and give its full autonomy in line with the aspiration of our founding fathers.
“In the same vein, we also condemn a bill sponsored by Honourable Soloman Bob to de-register local government as the third tier of government and appeal to all progressive members of the National Assembly to kill the bill at the appropriate stage in the overall development of the country.
“I will also not hesitate to condemn another anti-workers bill currently before the House of Representatives sponsored by Honourable Datti Mohammad which seeks to remove minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list”
“The National Assembly should not be a rubber stamp to the political elites whose main interest is to continue to inflict hardship on workers so as to maintain their rent-seeking activities.”